File:A history of British birds - the figures engraved on wood (1809) (14563517297).jpg

Identifier: historyofbritish00bewi (find matches)
Title: A history of British birds : the figures engraved on wood
Year: 1809 (1800s)
Authors: Bewick, Thomas, 1753-1828 Beilby, Ralph, 1744-1817 Cotes, Henry
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Newcastle : Printed by Edward Walker, for T. Bewick
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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numbers at their accustomed resorts, on the tops ofhigh and heathy mountains, when the contest for supe-riority commences, and continues with great bitternesstill the vanquished are put to flight: the vl^lors beingleft in possession of the field, place themselves on an emi-nence, clap their wings, and wath loud cries give noticeto their females, who immediately resort to the spot. Itis said that each cock has two or three hens, which seemparticularly attached to him. The female Is about one-third less than the male, and differs from him considera-bly in colour •, her tail Is likewise much less forked. Shemakes an artless nest on the ground, where she lays sixor eight eggs, of a yellowish colour, with freckles andspots of a rusty brown. The young cocks at first resem-ble the mother, and do not acquire their male garb till BRITISH BIRDS. 299 towards the end of autumn, when the plumage graduallychanges to a deeper colour, and assumes that of a bluisKblack, which it afterwards retains.
Text Appearing After Image:
RED GROUSE. RED GAME, GORCOCK, OR MOORCOCK.(Tetrao Scoticusy Lin.—UAttagasy Buff.) The length of this bird is fifteen inches; the weightabout nineteen ounces. The bill is black; the eyes hazel;the nostrils shaded with small red and black feathers; atthe base of the lower bill there is a white spot on eachside ; the throat is red ; each eye is arched with a largenaked spot, of a bright scarlet colour; the whole upperpart of the body is beautifully mottled with deep red andblack, which gives it the appearance of tortoise-shell;the breast and belly are of a purplish hue, crossed withsmall dusky lines.; the tail consists of sixteen feathers, ofecjual lengths, the four middlemost barred with red, the 2 p 300 BRITISH BIRDS. others black; the quills are dusky ; the legs are cloathedwith soft white feathers down to the claws, which arestrong, and of a light colour. The female is somewhatless ; the naked skin above each eye is not so conspi-cuous, and the colours of her plumage in general ar

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