THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 39 



the discovery by Drs Seligmann and Sambon of a new 

 Haemosporidian which has been named Leucocytozodn lovati. 

 This parasite is probably spread from Grouse to Grouse by 

 the Grouse Fly {Ornithomyia lagopodis). A few small 

 Spirochetes were also, for the first time, found in Grouse, 

 and were named Spirochceta lagopodis. But a passing 

 reference to the chapters on the minor parasites, illustrated 

 as they are by a series of beautiful coloured plates, is all 

 that can here be attempted. 



Mr Grimshaw, of the Royal Scottish Museum, writes on 

 the subject of the Heather Beetle {Lochmcea suturalis). This 

 beetle is an important pest on grouse moors, and is entirely 

 responsible for the peculiar " foxy red " condition of heather 

 which is usually .described as " frosted." Samples of such 

 heather were sent to Mr Grimshaw for examination from all 

 parts of Scotland, and in practically every case a careful 

 search disclosed the presence of the beetle in, proportionately, 

 gigantic numbers. Many correspondents stated that acres 

 of their moors were rendered useless either for cattle and 

 sheep or for Grouse. Grouse do not indeed eat these 

 withered shoots, and there is therefore no direct connection 

 between the diseased state of the heather and " Grouse 

 Disease," but where the patches of injured heather extend 

 over a large area, a considerable shortage of food may result, 

 rendering the Grouse less fit to resist the attacks of parasites, 

 or to combat disease of any kind whatever. 



A remedy is not easily found. Black game greedily 

 devour the beetle, but Grouse unfortunately do not. Burning 

 the affected areas would, no doubt, be effective, but the 

 beetle hibernates from about September until May, some 

 distance below the surface of the soil, and the burning would 

 therefore have to be done sometime between May and 

 September, at which season it is not generally practicable. 

 A satisfactory method of dealing with the pest has therefore 

 yet to be discovered. 



In the Appendix volume will be found an interesting 

 series of maps, showing the incidence of disease in every 

 year since 1872; and this part of the Report contains also 

 careful analyses of the weather in each (meteorological) 



