298 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



Scotland, though it is found on the moors in the 

 north and east of England, especially in Yorkshire 

 and Derbyshire. It also extends to Lancashire, 

 Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Shropshire, and is 

 found on the moors in Wales and Ireland, though in 

 the sister island it is not so abundant. The nest of 

 the Grouse is just a depression in the ground — eight 

 to ten eggs are laid, ground-colour, olive, blotched 

 with dark red. The bird is an early breeder, and 

 during courtship the cock goes through various love 

 performances for the edification of the hen. No bird 

 stands higher in the estimation of our crack game 

 shots than the Grouse for affording sporting shots, 

 especially when driven with a high wind behind him 

 over the shooting butts ; but although it may require 

 greater skill and precision to shoot a driven bird 

 than one over dogs, there are many good and true 

 sportsmen who would prefer the latter method 

 owing to the exhilarating feeling there is in a good 

 tramp over the Scotch hills, on a typical August 

 day, with good dogs and a few congenial com- 

 panions. Give me the latter, say I, for what is 

 more delightful than to watch the puzzling out of a 

 covey of birds that are inclined to run and out- 

 manoeuvre the dogs, and then the supreme moment 

 when the dogs have fixed them for the guns. Why, 

 its as much pleasure to see the dogs work as to 

 shoot ! This species is subject to a disease which 

 has baffled a good many experts, and will I 'm afraid 

 continue to do so. 



