THE HAZEL GROUSE. 
755 
short distance it as closely resembles the colour of the 
ground of the forest as that of the Sand Grouse does the 
sand. The male may be recognized from the female by its 
black throat and larger crest at the back of the head, 
as well as by the beautiful scarlet eye-brows, which it 
possesses in common with the Capercaillie and the Black 
Cock. The Hazel Grouse is the smallest of our woodland 
Grouse; the length of the male being at the most sixteen 
inches, and the breadth across the wings two feet; whilst 
in the female the measurements are less: thus this bird 
does not in any way exceed a third of the size of the 
Black Cock. 
Fifty years ago this beautiful bird was to be met with 
in all the mountains of Germany, whereas now it has 
become almost extinct, in localities where it was formerly 
not at all rare : it is preserved now more than ever, yet 
this act of protection on the part of man does not seem 
as yet to have produced the desired result. It is still 
plentiful in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Prussia, 
Poland, Hungary, Northern Italy, France, Switzerland, 
and Central Asia; over the whole of Germany, however, 
it is only to be found occasionally. This bird mostly 
affects the southern slopes of richly wooded mountains, 
especially those covered with greenwood, and interspersed 
with boulders and rocky precipices, where wild berries are 
abundant: these are its favourite haunts. One may 
always feel sure of finding Hazel Grouse in localities 
where one has met with them before. It is a resident 
bird, only partially migrating, in families, late in the 
summer or in autumn, and then it is never found in 
places unsuited to its habits. Towards spring the covey 
breaks up into pairs, and these prepare to breed. Unlike 
other species of Wood Grouse, they are not polygamists. 
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