188 CAPERCAILLIE. 
be killed, the young ones in a day or two usually begin to 
call. This they do in certain stations or playing’ grounds, 
to which they keep for years together. Several may be heard 
playing at the same time on these playmg grounds. The 
hen birds assemble at the call, and the chanter then descends 
from the tree. He does not play from the same tree every 
day; and is seldom to be met with on the same spot for two 
days together. 
About the beginning of May nidification commences, and 
the nest, composed of grasses and leaves, is made upon the 
ground, in long grass or heather, under the shelter of a 
tree, or bramble or other bush. 
The eggs are from half a dozen to a dozen in number, of 
a pale reddish yellow brown, spotted oll over with two shades 
of orange brown. ° Incubation is said to last for a month, the 
hen alone sitting, the males keeping in the neighbourhood. 
If danger approaches, she runs off a little way, but returns 
again as soon as she can with safety. The young leave the 
nest soon after they are hatched, and keep with the mother 
bird till towards the approach of winter; the cocks leaving 
her before the hens. 
Male; weight, from nine or ten to thirteen or even seven- 
teen pounds; length, two feet nine or ten, to three feet four 
inches; bill, much hooked, the upper extending over the end 
and sides of the lower one, both whitish horn-colour; the 
skin over the bill is cast at certain seasons; iris, hazel; over 
it is a crescent-shaped bare patch of bright scarlet, and under 
it a small mark of white feathers. Head and crown, the 
feathers of which are rather elongated, neck on the back and 
in front, and nape, brownish black, minutely freckled with 
greyish white; chin and throat, the feathers of which are 
rather elongated, and able to be raised at will, greyish black. 
Breast above, dark shining green, the base of the feathers 
black; lower down, brownish black with a few white spots 
on the tips of the feathers; on the sides waved with grey 
and black: there is a white spot on the shoulder. Back, 
dark ash-colour marked with black. 
The wings, of twenty-eight quills, and expanding to the 
width of four feet four inches, in some specimens only to 
four feet, have the first feather, which is intermediate between 
the seventh and eighth, two inches shorter than the second, 
and the second one inch shorter than the third, and the 
fourth and fifth nearly equal, the fourth the longest, Yarrell 
