30 The Natural History of British Game Birds 
rival monarchs. By the middle of April, however, the extreme virulence of their animosity 
towards each other appears to have cooled down, and small parties of Blackcocks may 
be seen amicably feeding together. On April 14th, in a small enclosure of meadow land, 
on Redewater, no less than twenty-one were thus assembled. There was no Greyhen 
with them, yet most of the biggest old cocks were walking about (feeding), with all their 
spreading tail feathers erect and partially distended, as though that position was chronic 
at this season." 
All members of the Tetraonidce have a false courtship display in the autumn. It is 
usually seen and heard on fine days in October, when the birds are once again in full 
plumage. This is called pseudo-erotism, and is most noticeable in the case of parties 
of Blackcocks, which resort to the playing-grounds and carry on their love antics and 
noises, but with far less zest than in the spring. 
One October day at Dunalastair, I had gone out to shoot some Blackcocks and 
found very few. At midday, whilst seated at lunch, we spied about twenty Blackcocks 
far below us in a grassy field close to an old wall. I at once proceeded to stalk them. 
When I got within one hundred yards I became aware of the whirring notes and 
occasional cat-calls made by the cocks in spring, but much less loud in tone. The 
wall enabled me to creep within ten yards of the assembled pack, and looking through a 
hole I watched the movements of the birds for half-an-hour without their being aware 
of my presence. Although the cocks chased one another slightly, the whole show consisted 
of what may be described as a subdued plumage display. The attitudes were the same 
as those of the spring, but there was a want of fire and dash about it all. When the 
birds eventually rose, two or three of the cocks continued to call when on the wing. 
I have often heard a single Blackcock call softly " curroo-curroo-curroo," a gentle 
purring note, as it is flushed, or comes quietly sailing along a hillside close to the ground. 
I think it is their " call " note to the hens, just as the cock pheasant does when he is 
walking about with his wives. Few naturalists or sportsmen have ever noticed this. 
I have only once heard a Blackcock call loudly as it flew. This was in a winter drive 
at Murthly. I think the circumstance must be very rare. The Greyhen seldom utters 
a sound, except when calling her chicks — a note like "gack-gack." 
By the middle of May the depression in the ground which is used as a nest is 
made, and sometimes lined with a few pine-needles, leaves, or feathers. Thereon the 
female deposits from eight to ten eggs of a yellowish tint, spotted and blotched with 
rich red brown. The nest is usually placed near a wood-edge or rough cover, or in 
deep heather associated with blueberry and moorland grasses. In Devon and Somerset 
they seem to prefer the more open situations, but in Scotland I have noticed that they 
affect young coverts with equal appreciation. The young chicks are very similar to 
young capercaillie, but of course smaller and much shyer. When a fortnight old they 
take readily to wing, when no larger than thrushes, and nearly always fly to and settle 
on trees. At this early age I have found them very delicate to rear, subject to gapes, 
and dying when half-grown for no apparent reason. These causes, as well as death 
in hill-drains and the proneness of females to desert their nests at the smallest alarm, 
are some of the reasons for the decrease amongst Blackgame. Once scared from the 
nest by a wandering collie, Greyhens seldom return, and have not the complaisant 
