Life on the Moor
SIR,—Ian Niall errs in his description of the black cock. This kind, properly known as the British black grouse, does not utter the call of Go back, Go back." This call is, in fact, uttered by the cock red grouse. When disturbed. or even annoyed by others of his own kind, he will rise with the call of Kok, Kok Kok Kok," (one long and three short, as a rule). It is usually when he is alighting at a safe distance of a few hundred yards that he utters " Go back, Go back," and this may continue whilst he settles down. In contrast, the blab; grouse or black cock is usually silent on the wing, but on the ground, especially in the company of his own kind, he produces a peculiar low " warble," not unlike that of the wild pigeon, though much quicker and usually more continuous. This, the call of black game, has-been likened to that gurgling noise made by a curling stone moving rapidly on the frozen surface of a loch. It is very commonly heard on the moors when the cock birds are displaying before their prospective tnates.
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