756 
BIRD-LIFE. 
The Hazel Grouse is one of the shyest of our game 
birds, after it has once been disturbed. Only an adept 
can manage to get a sight of it, for at the least 
sound every member of the covey retires as soon as 
possible to a place of safety, where it squats, either close 
to the ground, or, in some cases, on a large branch of a 
tree, conscious of the similarity which exists between the 
colouring of its plumage and its place of refuge. When 
running it carries itself in a stooping posture, as does the 
Partridge, and, like all the family, is remarkably quick on 
its legs, getting over a long distance in a very short space 
of time. Its flight necessitates a very rapid motion of the 
short, rounded wings, and is on this account noisy and 
laboured, though for all that somewhat rapid. The 
Hazel Grouse will not rise on the wing unless forced to 
do so, and seeks as long as possible to evade pursuit by 
running. Its notes may be termed rich, inasmuch as 
both male and female manage to whistle a regular ditty; 
it is true that this is difficult to express in syllables, but 
it is translated by our South German sportsmen into 
the sentence: “Zieh, zieh, zieh, bei der Hitz in die 
Hoh;”* which, indeed, it somewhat resembles. The 
call-note of the male, in pairing time, is a long-drawn 
whistle, followed by a chirp: “ ti hih ti ti ti ti.” The 
cock bird “plays” or “ drums” like other Wood Grouse, 
and is just as jealous, but is at the same time faithful to 
his mate. As soon as the marriage is consummated the 
male leaves all the business of nursing in the hands 
of his partner. In the month of May the female seeks 
some quiet, secluded spot, where she scrapes out a hollow, 
which she lines with a layer of dry leaves and plants, 
without any art whatsoever. She lays eight or ten, rarely 
* The English equivalent being : “ When ’tis warm, get up higher! ” 
