one inch and a half in length, fcvcn feet five inches in 
breadth, and weighed fifteen pounds two ounces and a half ; 
its weight is ufually from nine to twelve pounds, and th© 
length but feldom exceeds two feet eight to ten inches. 
Bill nearly three inches long, very ftrong, the upper mandible, 
proje^ing, and hooked as in birds of prey ; irides yellowifh ; 
ikln over the eye bare, of a brilliant fcarlet colour, which 
after the breeding feafon changes to dull purple ; feathers on 
the chin and throat long and ruffed ; tail compofed of eighteen 
feathers, much rounded at the extremity ; legs ftrong, covered 
with hair-like feathers to the toes, the edges of which are very 
ftrongly pe£linated ; claws fhort and blunt. A figure of the 
female will appear in a future number. 
This fpecies is nearly extin6^ in Great-Britain ; two inftances 
of its being^ killed in Scotland within thefe few years, are the 
only fatisfa<5lory accounts we have received of its being recently^ 
found in thefe kingdoms. One was killed by a gentleman (of 
the name of Hen1>erson) near Fort- William, about fix years 
ago, and fent to Dundee ; but the veflel that conveyed it to 
London, was detained fo long on the paflage, that the bird 
became fo putrid that only the head and legs could be preferved. 
The other fpeelmen was fliot by Captain Stanton, near 
Burrowftone-Nefs, two winters ago ; they were both males ; 
fome few are faid to be yet remaining in the pine forefts of 
Scotland, and alfo in the mountainous parts of Ireland. 
The Wood Grous is principally confined to extenfive traa^ 
of pine wood, in the north of Europe ; it is alfo met with in 
Italy and on the Alps ; it feeds on the feeds and young leavec 
of 
