234 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



and conspicuous on hillside, knowe, or lough, confident 

 in their own keen instincts and powers of wing and eye, 

 to keep themselves beyond the reach of danger. 



Towards the end of October grouse become very noisy, 

 especially just after their "morning: flight," which takes 

 place at, and before, the break of day. As the first streak 

 of dawn lights up the eastern hills, the grouse commence 

 these movements ; and on a bright frosty morning, the 

 concert they keep up is delightful to hear. From every 

 hill, often before it is light enough to see, ring out those 

 resonant notes, and the variety of intonation and expres- 

 sion is truly surprising. 



Given fine frosty weather, the grouse are all in pairs, 

 or in groups of six, eight, or ten, which are also composed 

 of pairs. That this is the. case is clearly seen when 

 stalking, or what is called "edging" them, and when 

 " carting " to them. The courtship of the grouse-cock and 

 coquetries of his mate — -even the amantium irce — are all 

 observable thus. Presently the lady dashes away, followed 

 by her lover, and the chase lasts for minutes at a time. 

 Round hillocks, along sinuous "sykes" — now low on the 

 heather, then high in air- — the pursuit is carried on with 

 intense energy, the hen often dodging downwards, or 

 doubling sidelong-, as though a falcon were behind. All 

 this time, the low soft spring-note is repeatedly uttered. 



All this seems very curious in late October. I have 

 already referred, when writing of blackgame, to this 

 amatory recrudescence in mid -autumn, and christened 

 the phenomenon pseudo - erotism. So conspicuous a 

 feature of the season is it, that one wonders how it 

 comes to pass that but >few previous writers have even 

 alluded to it. In "driving" there is, of course, no 

 opportunity of observing such quasi-domestic affairs. 



