14 
THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
J^hoto by IV. 5 ". {^Leighton BuTC'x.ard 
PTARMIGAN 
In winter these birds don a sno'iv-white U'very 
The Red Grouse is the only game-bird which 
is not found outside the British Islands. It is the 
bird which perhaps heads the list in the estimation 
of British sportsmen, who travel north in hundreds 
every year for the pleasure of the sport it affords. 
It is furthermore remarkable for the wonderful variety 
of the seasonal plumages. Both se.xes change their 
dress twice during the year — the female in spring and 
summer, and the male in autumn and winter. Its 
Continental relative, the Ryper, has no less than 
three changes — spring, summer, and winter. For the 
last season a white dress is adopted, to correspond with 
its snowy surroundings. The winters in the British 
Islands 
are neither 
long 
enough 
nor severe 
enough 
to render 
such 
change 
necessary 
with the red grouse, which is sufficiently protected by 
its ordinary dress. 
The largest and perhaps the most interesting of 
all the European game-birds are the Capercallies, 
or C.VPER- 
CAILZIES. 
T h e 
British 
Photo by fV, F, Piggott] ILeightcn Buxtcard 
CAPERCALLIE 
This zvas once a common British bird. The present breed 
luas introduced some years ago, the native birds 
having been exterminated 
Photo ly IV. F. Piggottl ILeighton Buxxard 
COMMON PARTRIDGE 
This is the commoner and more esteemed of the tivo species 
of British partridges 
species 
is also 
known as 
the COCK- 
O F-T II E- 
WOOD. He 
is a hand- 
some black bird, nearly as big as a turkey, weighing 
from 9 to 17 lbs. 
In the spring the capercallie, like the blackcock, 
indulges in a remarkable “ love-song,” or ‘‘ play,” 
as it is called. With outstretched neck, tail expanded 
like a fan, drooping wings, and ruffled feathers, he 
commences his call, “ peller, peller, peller,” increasing 
in rapidity every moment, till he works himself up 
into a perfect frenzy. At this time he is perfectly 
unconscious of all around him, and poachers, knowing 
this, sometimes take advantage to creep up and 
shoot him. On hearing the cock, the hens assemble 
from all parts of the forest The male then descends 
from the tree to the ground, when “ he and his 
