THE BLACK GROUSE. 
43 
Length of middle toe 
to nail 
hind toe 
to nail 
Black 
Cock. 
In. Lines. 
1 10 
0 8 
0 5 
0 
Hybrid. 
In. Lines. 
2 0 
0 7 
0 7 
0 4 
Cock 
Pheasant. 
In. Lines. 
1 11 
0 7 
0 8 
0 4 
Fourth quill longest in hybrid and black -grouse ; 3d, 4th, and 5th 
equal in pheasant.* Tail of hybrid extending 5^ inches beyond closed 
wing, rounded on expansion, containing 17 feathers, all but the longest 
being regularly matched : it has probably lost one ; 1 8 being the 
number both in the pheasant and black-grouse. Bill in form differing 
only from the pheasant in having the upper mandible less arched. 
Tarsi and toes in form like the pheasant’s, but having many more 
plates ; tarsi, bare on the sides and behind, but feathered in front for 
half their length. Naked skin about the eye equalling in extent the 
pheasant’s, but differing in form both from it and the black-cock’s 
by merely appearing in advance of the eye, and broadening out to the 
extent of half an inch just behind it. There is none above the eye as 
in the latter bird. Horm, of the feathers on the head, neck, breast, 
back, belly, and under tail-coverts, intermediate between that of 
the two parents ; of the scapulars, quiUs, and wings approximating 
that of the black grouse. Form of the tail-feathers unlike that of 
either species. 
“ In colour the hybrid has head, neck, breast, and belly black ; each 
feather when viewed in the light, terminating in a band of rich claret 
colour tinged with gold, which decreases in breadth downwards, until 
at the lower part of the belly it disappears. On laying back the breast 
feathers, the inner ones exhibit about an inch or less from the tip, a 
somewhat semicircular band of a cream colour ; the inner feathers at 
upper part of the back similarly examined, show the cream-coloured 
marking of the pheasant, the remainder of the feather being black, 
except the termination, which is of a claret colour. Upper part of 
back, wings, and tail, not resembling either sex of black-grouse or 
pheasant, but having a soft blending of grey, brownish-yellow, and 
black, beautifully undulated ; quills differing only from the black- 
cock’s in the shafts being blackish-brown. Tail-feathers obscurely 
* By pheasant the male bird is meant throughout, when not otherwise ex- 
pressed. 
