“The Black Cocks feed» on’ the: buds and the 
catkins, (or bloffoms of birch-trees,) and: om 
thofe of the Siberian poplar, which give a-fine — 
favour to their fiefh. ‘They are fond of whortle- 
berries, bilberries, and the tops of heath; and 
feed their young with gnats. Peas and: cherries 
are fatal to them; and it is faid that the hen, 
whilft fhe is laying, lofes the fenfe of fmelling, | 
' The female weighs but two pounds, her, tail 
is fhort, and flightly: forked, and her colours lefs 
dark, | 
The wings of the nevis Cack arefhort,, 7” it 
flies heavily. 
The openings of the ears are wide. 
They often pafs two months in the winter un- 
der the fnow, fome fay without. eating, and in a 
torpid ftate, like bats and dormice; ‘others fay, 
that they form walks beneath the fnow. 
In: breeding. time the males aflemble together — 
in 2 morning, fometimes to the number of one 
hundred, in a high fituation, retired, and fhelter- 
ed with broom or heath; there they fight, furi- 
oufly : the conquerors then. perched on aj tree, — 
with fparkling eyes, their cheeks fwelled, their 
feathers briftlingy and flapping their wings, crow, 
to the females, who immediately anfwer, and 
come towards them. = 
. C 240 The 

