﻿G R O U S. 747 



Thefe birds moftly frequent the northern parts of this iiland ; Place anb 

 are very plentiful on all the wafte grounds and mountains of 

 Cumberland-, alfo common in Yorkjlrire, DerbyJInre, Lancajhire, 

 and Wales. They pair in fpring, and lay from fix to ten eggs : 

 the young brood follow the hen the whole fummer j in winter 

 join in flocks of forty or fifty, and become remarkably fhy and 

 wild : they always keep on the top of the hills, fcarce ever 

 being found on the fides, never defcending into the valliesr 

 Their food is the mountain berries, and tops of heath *. 



Buffon fpeaks of a white bird of this kind, which he names Varieties. 

 L'attagas blanc f, and fays it is found about the mountains of 

 Switzerland and thofe of Vicenza ; but it is very doubtful whether 

 it belongs to this fpecies. The only variety which I recollect is 

 that in the Leverian Mufeum j which is very pale about the head, 

 and has many white feathers mixed among the reft of the ftria, 

 but by no means patched with white ; it therefore appears to 

 have a greater affinity with the Ptarmigan than with the Red 

 Grous. 



The above author alfo quotes one from Rzaczynjki, with part 

 of the wings and belly white, the reft varied ; and fays, that 

 they are frequently met with of a pure white about Novogrod in 

 Mujcovy ; but we cannot venture, to fpeak of them here with any 



* I have often wondered, that neither this bird, nor the Black Cock, entered 

 the lift of the famed feaft of Archbijbop Ncvil, efpecially as both are found in 

 Torkjhire ; but perhaps they were not accuftomed to the tafte of them, or they 

 did not think them a dainty in thofe days : in thefe they are efteemed, and fent 

 as prefents towards ihsfoutb, both frefh and potted. 



f Hift. ties si/, ii. p. 262. — Suppofed to be the fame with one fpoken of by 

 Gefner. 



5 C 2 further 



