120 Habits of the Black and Red Grouse. 



A circumstance worth recording occurred in Selkirkshire, 

 when the black grouse became plentiful. It was formerly 

 believed that the muirhen, as the female of the red grouse 

 was called, had in her wild and muirland nature somewhat of 

 the spirit of the " sons of Jonathan the son of Rechab ;" and, as 

 she kept her young aloof from the haunts of man and from all 

 human cultivation, so neither would she approach his dwelling, 

 nor eat grain herself. That of old this had been the case I 

 make no doubt, because I well recollect when such a thing 

 was unknown in that district; and this beliefwas corroborated 

 by a proverb in ancient rhyme, viz. : — 



" The muirhen has sworn by her tough shin, 

 She sal never eat of the carl's win ; " 



and, doubtless, she long, and most unaccountably, kept her 

 oath. 



The first time I ever saw the muirfowl feeding on grain, 

 was six and twenty years ago, while passing the Kingside- 

 edge, the high lands between Peebles and Edinburgh ; when, 

 to my astonishment (for the fact was not at that time a fact 

 in Yarrow), I saw part of a covey spring from a stubble, and 

 others seated upon the stooks. 



When the black grouse became numerous in Selkirkshire, 

 they soon became also a great annoyance to the crops of oats ; 

 at first in late seasons, and afterwards as soon as the oats be- 

 gan to ripen. 



For some years they got no countenance in this practice 

 from their congeners, the red grouse, or muirfowl, as they 

 are still called there : but "evil communication corrupts good 

 morals ; " and sorry I am to report, that now the muirhen 

 makes as light of the oath of her ancestors as the descendants 

 of Jonathan the Rechabite now do ; and any day in October 

 may be seen coveys of them, mixed with the black grouse, on 

 the stubbles, seated on the stooks, and ranged in lines on the 

 top of the stone walls that bound the fields ; greatly to the 

 offence of the older shepherds, who speak of their corruption 

 by the greyfowl, and repeat the proverbial rhyme. 



It would be well could we obtain any account of the habits 

 of the swans that, in former times, annually resorted to Loch 

 Spynie, in Morayshire ; but the cause of their forsaking it was 

 compulsory, for the lake was drained. A like disaster is not 

 soon to be apprehended, we trust, to the wild geese which breed 

 around Loch Naver, in Sutherland, where they waddle out of 

 the traveller's way with little more fear than the domestic 

 goose, being especially protected by the noble proprietress. 



The woodcock, twenty years ago, was a migratory visitor 



