T. bonasia, Lin. Ste. Hazel Grous. Feathers on the stead somewhat lengthened, a black band near the extre mity of the lateral tail-feathers, under portion of the tarsus and toes naked. Accidental varieties, and the young, have given rise to the supposed species, which have been de signated Canus, Aremesianus, and Betulinus. The hazel grous is between thirteen and fourteen inches in length, has about twenty-one inches of extent of wing, and flies heavily, but runs with wonderful velocity. In roosting it conceals itself among the thickest branches of pine, fir, or birch trees, and is not easily dislodged by noise. Weak, peaceful, and timid, the only two resources which, on the approach of a sportsman, or of a bird of prey, it seems to manifest, are quick running and squatting down. But it is extremely shy, and soon expires in captivity. In summer it frequents the silence and obscurity of the forest, sub sisting on heath, whortle-berries, and other wild fruits, and in winter, on the catkins of the birch or hazel, the shoots of pine trees, juniper-berries, &c. These birds pair in October and November, and in spring place their nest on the ground under the low branches of a hazel tree, or in a tuft of heath. The eggs, which vary in number, from about twelve to eighteen, are rather larger than those of a pigeon, whitish-yellow, and irregularly spotted w it h brown-yellow. They are incubated in three weeks, and as soon as the young are hatched they run about in all directions, and the mother rallies them around her by a low and gentle call. Though not indigenous to Great Britain, this interesting addition to the winged tenantry of our woods, might, we presume, be easily imported, for it seems to thrive in every country of the old continent that affords hills and woods, being diffused from Siberia to the extremities of Africa. The flesh, which is blackish externally, and whitish with in, is highly prized by the lovers of dainty fare ; and, ac cording to German etiquette, it is the only dish that is permitted to be served up twice in succession at the table of princes.
T. tetrix, Lin. &c. Black Grous, Black Cock, Black Game, Prov. Heath Poult or Heath Fowl. No long feathers under the throat, the general plumage black, with violet reflexions; tail much forked, with the two outer feathers convoluted, and the inferior tail-coverts white. The black grous is somewhat larger than the pheasant, measuring two feet four inches from the point of the bill to the extremity of the tail, and weighing nearly four pounds ; but the female is little more than half the size. Native of the heathy, wooded, and hilly regions of Europe, especially towards the north, and remote from human cul ture and habitations. In this island the progress of civi lization and tillage, combined with the improved practice of shooting flying, has nearly banished this game from England, though some individuals still occur in sequester ed spots, suited to their manners and dispositions, as in the New Forest, Hampshire, Dartmoor, and Sedgemoor, Devonshire, some heathy hills in Somersetshire, Stafford shire, North Wales, &c. ; but they are much more abun dant in some parts of the Highlands of Scotland. They feed chiefly on the tops of fir and heath, wild berries, the grains of buckwheat, &c. but cherries and pears are said to prove fatal to them. They perch and roost in the man ner of pheasants, but never pair. In spring the males as semble at their accustomed haunts, on the top of heathy mountains, when they crow and clap their wings ; the fe males obey the signal, when the males become very quar relsome, and fight like game-cocks. On these occasions, so inattentive are they to their own safety, that two or three may often be killed at one spot, and instances have occurred of their having been knocked down with a stick. In April the female deposits from six to eight eggs, of the Size of those of a pheasant, and of a dull yellowish-•hite colour, marked with numerous, minute, ferruginous specks, and with blotches of the same towards the smaller end. These are hatched late in the summer, and the young grow rapidly, being able in four or five weeks to perch with the mother, whom they forsake about the be ginning of winter, living in small flocks till spring-, when the males separate, and assume their pugnacious charac ter. Linne has remarked, that they brave the rigour of
the Swedish winter, often squatting down on a fall of snow, and remaining covered by it for fourteen days together. It is probable, however, that in this state they preserve some communication with the open air like the partridge, which in these northern regions, will burrow with its family in the snow, but keep a passage open for egress and ingress.
T. lagopus, Lin. &c. Lagopus »mitts, Leach, Lag°. pus. vulgaris, Vieil. Ptarmigan, Common Ptarmiga;z, White Grous, Rock Grous, or White Partridge. Varied with cinereous and white ; in summer, quills white, tail feathers black, with white tips, and the two middle ones entirely white ; a black spot between the beak and eyes of the male ; eighteen feathers in the tail ; feet covered with feathers. In winter, the body is entirely white, the change of colour in the plumage commencing, in this country, in September, and being completed in October.
Ptarmigans haunt the lofty heights of mountaionus coun tries in Europe, Asia, and America, as the Alps and Pyre nees, the Highlands of Scotland, Siberia, Greenland, Hud son's Bay, Canada, &c. descending within the range of ve getation, to feed on the buds of trees, the young shoots of pines, and heath, mountain-berries, rhododendron, insects, &c. but returning, when satiated, and even in winter, to their almost inaccessible retreats, which are generally screened alike from the sun and the wind, and are often formed of holes in the snow. During winter they live quietly, in family parties, of from six to ten individuals ; but they separate and pair in June, resorting to a lower re sidence on the hill, and breeding apart. Each pair scratch a circular hole, of about eight inches in diameter, at the foot. of a rock or bush ; and the female, with hardly any other preparation, lays from six to twelve eggs, larger than those of the partridge, of a reddish-grey hue, and spotted with black. These are hatched in three weeks, and the young come forth, covered with down, which is brown, black, and yellowish, on the head and upper parts of the body, and of a whitish-yellow on the under. The mother defends them with great intrepidity and cou rage, and hesitates not to fly on those who seek to carry them off. Contrary to what has been observed of most other gallinaceous birds, the male is assiduously attentive to his mate when breeding, roaming about the nest, fre quently uttering his cry, and carefully fetching her food, without, however, taking her place on the eggs. As soon as the young are produced, the parents conduct them to a more elevated station, where their growth proceeds rapid ly. Many of them fall a sacrifice to eagles and hawks. At sight of these formidable invaders, the ptarmigans skulk under bushes, or projections of the rocks ; but they seem not to dread the approach of man, until they- have experienced his hostile power, after which they endeavour to elude his attacks. According to Picot La Perouse, who watched their manners in the Pyrenees, they are by no means so stupid as described by Gessner, but court inde pendence and shun danger with the sagacity that is com mon to other animals. In some of our Highland districts, their gay summer attire assimilates them to their native rocks, and their winter livery to the snow by- which they are surrounded, so that they are less readily discriminated by the sportsman. They fly heavily, but run swiftly. The cry of the male, which may often be heard in the night, somewhat resembles the croaking of a frog, and that of the female the call of a young fowl. In this island, they oc cur on the summits of the Grampian ridge, and also, though rarely, on the highest hills of Cumberland and Wales. Being naturally very shy, they are not domesticat ed without much trouble and difficulty ; but Lord Stanley assured Colonel Montagu, that an instance of their breed ing in confinement occurred in Ireland. The flavour of the young is not inferior to that of black game, and the fowler has often hunted them at the risk of his life.