The HYBRID GROUSE (_Tetrao medius_). In this remarkable bird, a cross
between the Black Cock and Capercali, the entire mantle is black, faintly
marked with grey spots and zigzag lines; the upper wing is watered with
blackish brown and grey; the secondary quills are enlivened by a brown
whitish stripe, and edged with the same shade; the slightly-incised tail
is black, occasionally with white tips to its feathers. The under side
is black, the head and fore part of the neck gleam with a purple light,
the sides of the body are powdered with grey and spotted with white; the
plumage of the legs is white, and the tarsus blackish grey; the eye is
dark brown; and the beak greyish black. The female sometimes resembles
that of the Capercali, sometimes the Grey Hen; but it is smaller than
either. The length of the male is from twenty-five to twenty-eight inches;
that of his mate twenty-one to twenty-two inches.
[Illustration: HYBRID GROUSE (_Tetrao medius_).]
The Hybrid Grouse are found wherever the Black Cock and Capercali inhabit
the same district, and are particularly numerous in Scandinavia. They
closely resemble their parents in general habits, although towards the
former of these species they frequently exhibit a very pugnacious spirit
during the period of incubation, and constantly do great damage to the
sportsmen by attacking and disturbing the Grey Hen when brooding.
"The Capercali," says Mr. Lloyd, "occasionally breed with the Black
Grouse, and the produce are in Sweden called _Racklehanen_. These partake
of the leading characters of both species, but their size and colour
greatly depend upon whether they have been produced between the Capercali
cock and Grey Hen, or _vice versâ_." Females of these hybrids are much
more rare than males, but neither, according to Mr. Lloyd, are common.
[Illustration: HAZEL GROUSE (_Bonasia sylvestris_).]
Professor Nilsson has given us the following account of one of these birds
which he kept in confinement:--"He is more dull than lively. For the most
part he will sit for a whole day on his perch in a passive attitude, with
his tail hanging down, his feathers somewhat ruffled, and his eyes closed.
He is, nevertheless, wild and shy. Towards people who approach his coop
he evinces more shyness than malice; but to small animals and birds that
come near him, or attempt to purloin his food, he displays an exceedingly
angry and spiteful temper. About March, when he puts on his beautiful
summer plumage, he is more vicious than usual. Towards the end of that
month, or early in April, when the fine weather sets in, he commences his
_spel_ (call). In this, however, he never indulges at an early hour in the
morning, but only in the daytime, both before and after noon. His moulting
season commences about July, and continues for a long period. His food
consists of whortle-berries, and other forest berries when obtainable,
but he is also fond of apples chopped up small, cabbages, and various
vegetables, as well as of barley and the seeds of the spruce pine."