402 
Gallis-e. B IE DS. Tetraonid.e. 
At this period, also, the males are in the habit of 
assembling in some open glade about dawn, where 
they strut about and display themselves with extra- 
ordinary ostentation, occasionally varying these exer- 
cises by violent combats. 
THE COMMON GEOUSB, or Red Grouse {Lagopus 
scoticus). The genus Lagopus, which includes several 
species inhabiting the north of Europe and America, is 
distinguished by having the feet feathered down to the 
extremities of the toes. The Red Grouse is the best 
Fig. 125. 
The Black Grouse (Tetrao Tetrix) 
known species in the British Islands, to which, singu- 
larly enough, it appears to he exclusively confined ; it 
is found in the mountainous districts both of England 
and Ireland, hut is most ahundant in the Highlands of 
Scotland. It inhabits the wild heaths and moors, and 
feeds upon the tender extremities of the branches 
of the heather, with cranberries, whortlebenies, and 
other fruits and seeds. Unlike the preceding species, 
the Red Grouse pair, and the young when hatehed are 
tended by both their parents. The female lays from 
eight to fifteen eggs in a nest formed of a few stems of 
heath and grass put together in a hollow of the ground; 
she lays very early in the spring, and sits very closely. 
The Red Grouse is about sixteen inches in length, 
and the general colour of the idumage in the adult 
male is a line rich reddish-brown, more or less marked 
with narrow transverse bars of black. The females are 
paler. Both sexes vary somewhat in colour at different 
seasons, but, unlike the nearly allied ptarmigan, the 
Red Grouse does not become white in winter. The 
quantity of these birds killed every year by sportsmen 
is enormous, and poachers probably destroy an equal 
if not greater number ; so that one is astonished that 
a bird so mercilessly persecuted should still be able to 
maintain its position on our moors. 
THE PTARMIGAN {Lagopus vulgaris) is now met 
with in this country only on the mountains of Scot- 
land, where it dwells amongst the gray rocks of the 
highest ratiges. It is generally distributed on the 
mountain chains of Europe, especially towards the 
north, and also occurs in the northern parts of Ame- 
rica. The Ptarmigan is rather smaller than the red 
grouse. The colour of its plumage in summer is 
gray, marked with numerous transverse black bars, 
especially on the upper surface ; the lower parts are 
usually white, and the amount of white in the plumage 
varies greatly with the season of the year. In the 
winter the plumage becomes pure white. In summer 
the Ptarmigan trust to the similarity of their colora- 
tion to that of the lichen-coated rocks upon which 
they sit, to escape observation ; and this similarity is 
so great that a person might pass through the midst 
of a numerous flock of them without seeing a single 
bird. Like the red grouse, the Ptarmigan pairs and 
breeds very early in the spring. 
THE VIRGINIAN QUAIL {Ortgx virginianus) belongs 
to a small group of species peculiar to America, and 
distinguished by having two teeth on each side of the 
tip of the lower mandible. Tliese birds represent in 
the New World the Partridges of the Eastern hemi- 
sphere. The Virginian Quail, or Partridge, as it is 
sometimes called, is of a reddish-brown colour above, 
and on the neck and upper part of the brea.st ; the 
cheeks, throat, and a band on each side of the neck, 
are white, as is also the lower surface, which is crossed 
by numerous undulated black bars ; the jjrimnry quills 
and tail are dusky ash colour. The length is about 
nine inches. This bird inhabits the greater part of 
North America, and frequents woods and plantations. 
Its nest is carefully made under the shelter of a thick 
tuft of grass ; it is composed of leaves and grass, and 
is covered above, with an opening on each side. 
THE CALIFORNIAN QUAIL {Callipepla calif ornicup 
which is nearly allied to the last species, is a native oi 
California, where it is met with in the low woods and 
[ilains. It is distinguished by having the crown of the 
head adorned with a graceful crest of elongated black 
feathers, which generally lie backwards, but are capable 
of being erected at the pleasure of the bird. 
THE COMMON PARTRIDGE {Perdix cinereci). This 
well-known bird, which is generally distributed in 
Britain, is found equallj^ abimdantly in almost all parts 
of Europe, and also inhabits the north of Africa, but it 
appears that those individuals which pass farthest to 
