The Black Grouse 27 
settling their own affairs to take alarm at once, unless approached very close, when the 
whole will leave in a pack together. Unless repeatedly disturbed, they soon return. 
When proceeding to attack one another (that is to say, if one of the two Blackcocks 
has not already beaten off one or more assailants, when it is usual for him to take up 
a position on a small mound and stick to it) both birds simultaneously lower their 
heads and arch their tails, at the same time extending the primary wing feathers and 
trailing them along the ground. The tails are not spread in the form in which they are 
generally depicted in books, i.e. upwards, except for a second, when actually in the 
process of raising them for expansion, but are spread out more in the shape of a fan, 
with a concave surface ; the beautiful curled feathers almost touching the ground. 
Sometimes two birds 'set' to one another as far as thirty yards apart; they then 
advance slowly till separated only by a few feet. Then the actual fighting, if there is to 
be any, begins. It, however, often happens that, as with our own bombastic race, it is all 
assumed, and the two, after skirmishing up to one another with every apparent gesture of 
rage and fury, by the time close quarters are arrived at, have come to the conclusion that 
another occasion will do just as well as the present for fighting it out. So the matter 
is arranged. More often they stand and fence, after the manner of bantams, until 
one, by superior tact and rapidity, suddenly seizes his adversary by the scruff of the 
neck and gives him a right good shaking, handling him in no gentle manner with 
his strong bill, whilst he beats him over the head with both wings, the act making 
a loud noise. When he who has come off second best eventually gets clear, he has 
generally had about enough for the time being, and is either chased ignominiously 
off the ground to hide his diminished head in some quiet corner, or flies off altogether 
to the nearest wood. This is only temporary, however, for he does not consider himself 
entirely vanquished till he has made at least another attempt to display his prowess. 
The victor gives his plumage a shake, and calmly proceeds to select for himself a post 
of vantage in the shape of a grassy mound, the possession of which he is now prepared 
to contest with any opponent who may be bold enough to tackle him. If the birds are 
at all numerous he is not long before having his wish gratified. Seating himself 
composedly on his little hillock, he again commences his song of war, at which some 
wandering knight, who has yet his laurels to win, soon takes offence and challenges him. 
Now, in preparation for this coming battle, the victor of the former strife entirely alters 
his tactics, and his attitude is purely of a defensive nature. After rising to his feet, he 
simply watches the advance of his adversary with lowered head, allowing the latter to 
waste his energies in futile attempts at getting above or behind his guard, till the 
process of fencing wearies him. Then, with one quick movement, he repeats the lesson 
he gave his former antagonist. 
A good fight is very interesting to watch, and sometimes lasts a long time, when 
the two are evenly matched. This, however, is rarely the case, and one or the other 
usually gets the best of it in the first round. I have never seen them engage in a 
general m61e"e as capercaillie, when several cocks are fighting at the same time. With 
Blackcocks it is all perfectly fair, Queensberry rules being strictly adhered to. 
I observed a bird with lowered head and arched back in a position of defence, facing 
one advancing to the attack, whilst a third, anxious to fight also, danced round the 
