BLACK GROUSE 193 
districts, It inhabits the Outer Hebrides and Orkney (in 
the latter it is said to have been at one time extinct), 
but hardly survives in Shetland, where attempts have been 
made to acclimatise it. 
This, the only bird confined to Britain, is found here in 
the north and west wherever there is heather. 
TETRAO TETRIX, Linn, BLACK GROUSE, 
Manx, *Ke/lagh Dhoo=Black Cock. 
With the exception of the remark of the Denton MS., 
quoted under the last heading, I have failed to find in old 
writers any trace of the Black Grouse in Man. Considering 
its Irish status, it is hardly likely to have been indigenous 
here. 
When Black-game were introduced I have been unable 
to discover, but there can be no doubt that they did exist 
upon our hills in the earlier half of last century. Mr. 
Allison, of Maughold, after communicating to me what he 
had heard of their occurrence in that parish, was good 
enough to interview on my behalf Mr, Wm. Kerruish, of 
Balfellin, a farmer of over eighty, but still hale and strong. 
When Mr. Kerruish was a boy he used to accompany Mr, 
John Banks, of Balnahow (now called Howstrake), Onchan, 
to hunt these birds, ‘He used to see coveys of up to nine 
or ten, and several old cocks together, I think he said as 
many as twenty.’ They frequented Glen Cherry and the 
lofty hill-top covered with blaeberry overlooking the Laxey 
Glen, and also about Cornah farm, As Mr. Kerruish 
became older he himself shot both Black-game and Grouse, 
sixty-five years ago, or he thinks perhaps two or three years 
N 
