( 118 ) 
The Black and Spotted Heath-cock. 
HIS Bird is of a middle Size, between our Pheafant and Partridge, feemingl/ 
JL of a longer-made Body, and having fomething a longer Tail, in Proportion, 
than the common Partridge. 
The Bill is like that of a Hen, or Pheafant, of a dark Lead-Colour, Black toward 
the Point; the Noftrils are cover’d with black Feathers. The Eye-brows appeared 
of a red Colour, tho’ the Skin was dry. The Fore-part and under Side of the Head 
is Black; it hath between the Angles of the-Mouth and the Eyes, on each Side, a 
white Spot, and another behind each Eye; from the Corners of the Mouth there 
pafs white Lines under the Eyes, which beyond the Eyes tend downward, and meet 
below the Throat, fo as to encompafs all the black Feathers that cover the under 
Side of the Head and Throat. The Feathers on the Top of the Head, along the 
Neck, Back, and Coverts of the Tail, are variegated with black and dufky Brown, 
or Alh-Colour, in Semi-Circles, following each other within the Verges of the Fea¬ 
thers, and thereby forming a broken tranfverfe Mixture on the upper Side. The 
outer Covert-Feathers of the Wings are variegated like thofe on the Back, but the 
light Mixture is rather Brown than Afh-Colour; the Quills of the Wings are Black, 
or Dufky, edged with Brown ; the inner Coverts of the Wings are Dufky, with white 
Tips. All the Feathers of the Tail are Black, with Orange-colour’d Tips. The 
Breaft and Belly are Black; the lower Belly and Thighs are Black, Brown and White 
intermixed. The Coverts under the Tail are White, with half-Moon-like Spots of 
Black: The Sides under the Wings, Dufky and Brown tranfverfly mixed. On each 
Side, round the Joints of the Wings when clofed, are fome white Feathers very 
agreeably broken into the black Feathers on the Breaft and Belly. The Legs are co¬ 
ver’d down to the Feet with flender Feathers of a brown Colour, tranfverfly mixed 
with fine waved Lines of Black; the Toes and Claws are dark Brown, the Toes 
toothed on their Borders; the hinder Toe is fo obfcured by the Feathers on the Leg 
as not to be vifible. 
This Bird was brought from Hudfon's-Bay by Mi'- Ifloam, where it is called the 
Wood-Partridge. It is plainly of the Heathcock, or Grous Kind, and is, I am confi¬ 
dent, the Male of one I have publifhed in my firft Volume of Birds, P. 71, by the 
Name of the Brown and Spotted Heathcock ; that differing from this juft as the Hen 
in our black Game differs from the Cock : So that I have not the leaft Doubt .in myfelf, 
but that the Bird here defcribed, and that at P. yi 3 are Cock and Hen. This Bird, 
I believe, has never been figured or defcribed. 
The 
E 
