BRITISH BIRDS. 
297 
other northern countries, it is very common : It 
lives in the forefts of pine, with which thofe coun- 
tries abound, and feeds on the cones of the fir 
trees, which, at fome feafons, give an unpleafant 
flavour to its flefli, fo as to render it unfit for the 
table ; it likewife eats various kinds of plants and 
berries, particularly the juniper. Early in the 
fpring the feafon of pairing commences : During 
this period, the cock places hirafelf on an emi- 
nence, where he difplays a variety of pleafing atti- 
tudes ; the feathers on his head Hand ere£t, his neck 
fwells, his tail is difplayed, and his wings trail al- 
moft on the ground, his eyes fparkle, and the fear- 
let patch on each fide of his head alfumes a deeper 
dye ; at the fame time he utters his well-known 
cry, which has been compared to the found produ- 
ced by the whetting of a feythe ; it may be heard 
at a confiderable diftance, and never fails to draw 
around him his faithful mates. The female lays 
from eight to fixteen eggs, which are white, fpot- 
ted with yellow, and larger than thofe of the com- 
mon Hen ; for this purpofe Ihe chufes fome fecret 
fpot, where Ihe can fit in fecurity ; Ihe covers her 
eggs carefully over with leaves, when Ihe is under 
the neceflity of leaving them in fearch of food. 
The young follow the hen as foon as they are 
hatched, fometimes with part of the fliell attached 
to them. 
