BLACK COCK. 



45 



The female weighs about two pounds ; the plumage is very different 

 from that of the male ; the general colour is ferruginous, barred and 

 mottled, with black above, the under parts paler, with dusky and brown 

 bars ; the tail-feathers are straight and even at the end, variegated with 

 ferruginous and black. 



The Black Grous is at present confined to the more northern parts 

 of this kingdom, population and culture having driven them from the 

 south, except in a few of the more wild, uncultivated parts ; in the 

 New Forest in Hampshire, Dartmoor and Sedgmoor in Devonshire, 

 and the heathy hills in Somersetshire, contiguous to the latter. It is 

 also found in Staffordshire, and in North Wales, and again in the North 

 of England ; but no where so plentiful as in some parts of the highlands 

 of Scotland. The males are polygamous, and fight desperately for the 

 females. 



In the month of April the male places himself on an eminence as soon 

 as it is light in the morning, crows and claps his wings, on which the 

 females resort to his station. After the courting season the males 

 associate peaceably together in small packs ; are fond of woody, heathy 

 and mountainous situations ; but will occasionally visit the corn- fields 

 in the autumn, retiring almost wholly to the woods in the winter, and 

 perching on trees. 



The female lays six or seven dirty white eggs, blotched with rust- 

 colour, about the size of those of a pheasant. These are deposited 

 amongst the highest heath, without much appearance of a nest. 



The young follow the female for some time. The males are scarcely 

 distinguishable from the other sex till they are above half grown, when 

 the black feathers begin to appear first about the sides and breast. 

 Their food is chiefly the tops of heath and birch, except when the 

 mountain berries are ripe, at which time they devour bilberries and 

 cranberries most voraciously. 



*A supposed hybrid bird of this species, has been described under the 

 following synonimes :* 



Tetrao hybridus, Faun. Suec. No. 201.— Tetra tetrix, Ind. Orn. 2. p. 636. 3. 5. 

 Gme/.Syst. 1. p. 784. 2.y. — Urogallus minor punctatus. Briss. 1. p. 191. A. — Ib. 

 8vo. 1. p. 53.— Spurious Grous, Br. Zool. 1. p. 268.— Arct. Zool.2. p. 314. B.— 

 Ib. Supp. p. 62.— Lath, Syn. 4. p. 734.— Ib. Supp. p. 214, 



This bird has been described by Linnaeus and others as a distinct 

 species, or mixed breed between the black and wood grous. It is said 

 to differ from the black grous in having reddish spots on the neck, 

 breast, wings, and thighs, and in being of a superior size. It is said 

 to have been formerly met with in Scotland. 



