THE RED GROUSE 139 



having in their search tor food found more congenial 

 haunts, do not return to their former home when the snow 

 disappears, and the moor is greatly depleted of its stock. 

 On only one occasion have I seen a Grouse on migration. 

 This was during a severe storm, which descended with no 

 warning on the high grounds, causing even the hardy 

 Tarmachan no little privations. 



Near the top of a pass was some grouse ground at 

 about the 2500-foot level, and from this ground I saw a 

 solitary Grouse winging his way rapidly southward, pro- 

 gressing in a manner which showed that a short flight 

 only was not his aim. It is rare that Grouse frequent 

 the coast-line during migration, but still they have from 

 time to time been recorded at light-stations. 



Towards the east coast the country is not, as a rule, 

 favourable to Lagopus scoticus, but there is a certain moor 

 with which I am familiar which must, I think, occupy an 

 almost unique position in that it actually touches the 

 North Sea. The moor is a small one, and is surrounded 

 by fertile agricultural land. In summer the situation is 

 favourable enough, but in winter there is an absence of 

 shelter, and wild winds from the sea sweep over the moor, 

 carrying with them driving mist and rain. Here the 

 Grouse have unusual companions to share their nesting- 

 ground. The confiding Eider Duck leads forth her duck- 

 lings on the moor, the Stock Dove and the Shell Duck 

 make their nests down the rabbit burrows which every- 

 where undermine the ground. A colony of Black-headed 

 Gulls, too, nest at the moorside, making periodic egg- 

 plundering excursions, while amongst the sand-dunes 

 thousands of Common Terns and a few of that most swallow- 

 like of the sea-bird tribe, the Lesser Tern, make their 

 homes during the months of summer. The best Grouse 

 country lies undoubtedly towards the centre of Scotland ; 

 as one approaches the Atlantic the proportion of heather 



