The Living Animals of the World, Volume II: Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Fishes, Jointed Animals, Molluscs, etc.

The Game'birds and Rails 399

" is jealous of trespassers on hisfemale friends join company and march away. The capercallie domain, and instances are on record where people have been attacked when so infringing.

Like the capercallie, the BLACKCOCK must be sought in the woods, whence he sallies forth to the moors and stubble-fields to feed. The GREY-HEN, as the female of this species is called, : both in number andlays from six to ten eggs, of a buff colour, spotted with rich brown colour they resemble those of the capercallie.

The naturalist Brehm gives a delightful account of the love-making of this bird. During the spring, he says, " the bird utters almost continuously the strangest noises. He holds his tail up and spreads it out like a fan, he lifts up his head and neck with all the feathers erect, and stretches his wings from the body. Then he takes a few jumps in different directions, sometimes in a circle, and presses the under part of his beak so hard against the ground that the chin-feathers are rubbed off. During these movements he beats his wings and turns round and round. The more ardent he grows, the more lively he becomes, until at last the bird appears like a frantic creature. At such times the blackcocks are so absorbed that they become almost blind and deaf, but less so than the

capercallie." North America is very rich in large forms of grouse; and one of the most interesting of these is the PRAIRIE-HEN, remarkable for the possession of a pair of curious bags of a bright orange colour on each side of the neck, which can be inflated with air at will. " Early in the morning," writes Captain Bendire of the prairie-hen, "you may see them assemble in parties, from a dozen to fifty together, ... and their on some dry knolls goings-on would make you laugh. The air-sacs are their ornaments, ... before the which they display sex by blowing them up gentler till they look like two ripe oranges ... projecting their long, black ears right forward, ruffling up all the feathers of the body till they stand out straight, and dropping their wings on the ground like a turkey-cock.... Then it is that the proud cock, in order to complete his triumph, will rush forward at his ... through the midst photo iy r. n. w. shufeiat] (Washington. best speed SIZE). of the love-sick damsels, pouring out TEXAN BOB-WHITE (ABOUT HALF NATURAL .. this bird takes its name from its note" Ah-Bob-White." as he goes a booming noise

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Photo by C. Reid} [ Wiahaw, N.B.

GOLDEN PHEASANT.

This bird is often kept in aviaries, on account of its magnificent livery. which may be heard for at least two miles in the still morning air. Every few mmuteb ... but they seem careful notthis display is repeated to run against each other, for they have not yet got to the fighting-point. After a little while the lady birds begin to show an interest in the proceedings, by moving about quickly a few yards at a time, and then standing still a short time. When these actions are continued by a large number of birds at a time, it presents a funny sight, and you can easily think they are moving to the measure of music." The prairie-hens of America possess great economic value, as great, indeed, as the red grouse of the British Islands, enormous numbers of prairie-hens being exported to Europe every year, whilst still greater numbers are consumed by the American people themselves. It is said that American grouse will sometimes eat the shoots of a plant called kalmia, which renders the flesh poisonous.

The SAGE-GROUSE is a rather large bird, attaining a ; itweight of 8 Ibs., found in the Western United States is,;indeed, the largest of the American grouse. Its courting habits resemble those of the prairie-hens. From the book containing the above lively description we cull the following: "Early one morning in the first week in March, 1877, I had the long-wished-for opportunity to observe the actions Photo ly W.GOLDENP. Dando,PHEASANT.F.Z.S., Regent's Part, seen inof a single cock while paying court to several females near This bird is moulting. In full dress the cape figure is golden with blue-black bars.him.... His large, pale yellow air-sacs were fully inflated, the upper

Photo by W. P. Dando F.Z.S.] [Regent's Park. Photo by C. Reid-] f Wii,MWt

SILVER PHEASANT. ENGLISH PHEASANTS.

A silver pheasant is embroidered as a badge on mandarins' dresses. These birds are of the ring-necked variety.

Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] [Parson's Green. Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] [Parson's Green.

REEVES'S PHEASANT. GOLDEN PHEASANT.

This is a native of North and West China, and has been introduced The female is soberly clad, and has no crest or cape. into Britain.

Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.] [Regent's Park. Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.] [Regent's Park.

AMHERST'S PHEASANT. PEACOCK-PHEASANT.

This bird is moulting: in full dress the cape is white and the crest These pheasants take their name from the eye-like spots on the blood-red. wings. 401

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and not only extended forward but apparently upward as well, rising at least an inch above his head, which consequently was scarcely noticeable, giving the bird an exceedingly peculiar appearance. He looked decidedly top-heavy and ready to topple over on the slightest provocation." He then proceeds to describe the further preparations designed for conquest. The tail is spread fan-wise, and animated with a peculiar quivering motion, whilst the wings are trailed upon the ground. When the correct position has been assumed, he advances with stately, hesitating steps towards his mate, uttering, as he moves, " low, " grunting, guttural sounds resembling those of a purring cat, but louder. This, apparently, is the prescribed method of courting; of many suitors, he is selected who performs best.

The EUFFED GROUSE, like the prairie-hen, has the neck, in the male, ornamented with a frill of long feathers. Like many other birds, the female, when danger, in the shape of prowling beasts, threatens her eggs or young, simulates lameness. So soon as the enemy Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] [Parson's approaches near enough to be dangerous, up TEMMINCK'S TRAGOPAN. are remarkable for a fleshy horn above each eye, not noticeableshe gets with a great "noise of wings, and then Tiugopans save when the bird is excited. flutters along the ground as though wounded. is thus led far from theThe would-be captor jealously guarded treasures, and when a safe distance has been covered an end is speedily put to this will-o'-the-wisp chase by the bird suddenly taking wing.

PARTRIDGES, QUAILS, AND PHEASANTS.

The birds which come under this head are so many in number they may be reckoned by the hundred, and include several forms of exquisite beauty. The legs of many are armed with formidable spurs, with which the males, who are -exceedingly pugnacious, fight furiously with their rivals for the possession of some coveted female. Of the more conspicuous forms we may mention the RED-LEGGED and COMMON PARTRIDGES. In England the former is known more generally as the FRENCH PARTRIDGE why, it is hard to say. It is a native of South-eastern Europe, whence it was introduced towards the end of the eighteenth century. It is a handsome bird, but not in Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.] high favour with sportsmen, since it prefers CHINESE TRAGOPAN. of some of the Tragopans is most gorgeous.to escape by running rather than by flight. The scarlet plumage

The Game-birds and Rails 403 The COMMON PARTRIDGE is the more abundant of the two species. Though more sober in coloration, it is still a beautiful bird. The " horse-shoe " mark, borne on the breast, so characteristic of this bird, is not confined to the males, as is generally believed. " Yielding," says Professor Newton, " perhaps in economic importance to the red grouse, what may be called the social influence of the partridge is greater than that excited by any other wild bird." This bird displays great courage and affection in defence of its eggs or young. A story illustrating this is told of a gentleman near Spilsby, in Lincolnshire, who, " whilst superintending his ploughmen, saw a partridge glide off her nest, so near the foot of one of his plough-horses that he thought the eggs must be crushed; this, however, was not the case.... He saw the old bird return to her nest the instant he left the

Pliol \do, F.Z.S.] [Regent's Park. spot. It was evident that the next round HIMALAYAN MONAL. of the plough must bury the eggs and nest has this bird In some parts of India been exterminated, owing to the in the furrow. His surprise was great when, of the demands plume-market. returning with the plough, he came to the spot and saw the nest indeed, but the eggs and bird were gone. An idea struck him that she had removed her eggs; and he found her, before he left the field, sitting under the hedge upon twenty-one eggs.... The.round of ploughing had occupied about twenty minutes, in which time she. probably aided by the cock bird, had removed the twenty-one eggs to a distance of about forty yards."