The Black Grouse 10 
brown, barred with a fine line of black, over which is a brown suffusion. The rich 
scarlet comb, much inflated in spring, is now reduced to normal size. Length, 23 to 25 
inches. Wing, 10 to 11 inches. Weight (young male), 2 lbs. 10 oz. to 3^ lbs. Adult 
male, 4 to 4f lbs. 
A dult Female. — The bill and feet, black, but not so dark as those of the male ; 
general colour, rich brown, with all the feathers barred with black ; the throat, unlike 
continental specimens, which are generally grey and barred with black, is pale chestnut- 
brown, barred, and with a little grey at the lower ends. Breast edged with greyish 
white, as also vent. The under tail-coverts extend beyond the tail, and are white 
faintly barred with brown, and broadly barred with black ; a little grey is usually seen 
on the edge of the secondary wing coverts. Females are about three inches shorter than 
the males. Weight, z\ to 3 lbs. 
Immatures. — The general colour of the young in down is orange-red brown, spotted 
and blotched with black ; the crown of the head is brown. In first plumage they are 
a fine mixture of brown and grey, with finely pencilled bars of black, the young males 
being larger, greyer, and darker than the females ; the adult plumage begins to appear 
early in August, and is assumed in October, although dull in tone compared to the 
full dress, which is not complete until the third year. Young Blackcocks are easily 
recognised during the first winter by the quantity of brown in the secondaries and 
crown of the head, as well as the shape of the tail, which is but little curled. I have 
often seen first-year Blackcock with the breast and cheek feathers finely edged with 
white. They are also not larger than adult Greyhens. 
Distribution. — In the true form, the Black Grouse is found in suitable districts 
throughout Scandinavia, Russia, East Holland, the hilly parts of Germany and Central 
Europe, Switzerland (except the Jura), and the Northern Apennines. It is not found in 
the Pyrenees, whilst in the Caucasus another species takes its place. East of the Urals it 
ranges up to 67° N., and south as far as Manchuria. At present we do not know how 
far to the East it extends. A few Blackgame and capercaillie were sent to British 
Columbia in 1906, some being released near Vancouver and others on Vancouver 
Island. The Black Grouse seem to have entirely vanished in 1908, but there was 
evidence that at least one or two female capercaillie had bred on the Island of Van- 
couver, near Duncans. In the autumn of 1886 Mr. Langrishe-Mare imported about 
twenty brace of Black Grouse from Scotland into Newfoundland, where they were 
released between Salmonier and Holyrood. Writing in 1888, Mr. Mare said they had 
increased "in many parts of his large Island" {Field, Jan. 15, 1887), but soon 
afterwards they seem to have disappeared. At the request of the Newfoundland 
Government I sent 23 capercaillie (8 cocks and 15 hens) and 22 Black Grouse 
(7 cocks and 15 hens) in September 1907 to the island. 1 They were turned out 
by Sir Robert Bond between Whitbourne and Colinet, and up to date I have had no 
satisfactory news of their progress. A close time of ten years has been appointed, 
but I fear that the Black Grouse may not succeed unless further introductions take 
place. 
In England they are, except in a very few places, such as Staffordshire and the 
1 See field, Oct. 26, 1907. 
