PTARMIGAN 9 



denizen of the open moors, seldom perching and never roosting in trees. 

 In this respect it differs somewhat from its cousin the willow-grouse. 

 It is distributed all over the Scottish moorlands, from the sea-coast 

 to the mountain-peaks, while it ranges southward along the Pennine 

 chain through the moors of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, and thence 

 westwards into Lancashire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Shropshire, 

 and so on into Wales, as far south as Glamorganshire, although 

 practically unknown in Anglese)'. It is thus essentially a bird of 

 the colder districts of the country, as is further demonstrated by 

 the fact that while it flourishes in the Hebrides and Orkneys, as 

 well as in most islands nearer to the coast of Scotland, it utterly fails 

 to acclimatise itself when turned out on the heaths of Surrey and other 

 southern English counties. In Ireland, where the plumage is generally 

 of a somewhat lighter colour, especially on the under-parts, grouse are 

 found on all the mountain-ranges, and also on the red bogs of the 

 central plain, and they have been found breeding in every county. 

 The species is unknown in the Shetlands. 



The grouse is a rather early breeder, and eggs may be found in 

 warm districts in April. The eggs, which are indistinguishable from 

 those of other members of the genus, are creamy white in ground- 

 colour, more or less profusely spotted or blotched with rich reddish 

 brown of varying intensity and brightness. A mere hollow among the 

 heather and grass, lined with such vegetable matter as may be most 

 easily obtained, constitutes the nest ; and in this the hen laj's from 

 .seven to ten, or occasionally twelve to fifteen eggs, which require 

 twenty-four days to incubate. Only one brood is hatched in a season, 

 and the cock assists in tending the young birds, which are kept on the 

 wildest parts of the moors. The early morning crow of the cock 

 grouse is a well-known sound, as is the peculiar croak of his partner. 

 The weight of a cock grouse is generally something near a pound and 

 a half, and that of the hen about a quarter of a pound less, but two 

 pounds is no uncommon weight for a fine cock. Grouse-shooting 

 commences on August 12, and concludes on December 10. 



_^ . Despite the fact that it resembles the willow-grouse in 



Ptarmigan ^ . . ^ 



,. ^ , turning white in wmter, the ptarmigan, or second 



(Lagopus mutus). ^ .^. ^ ^ . r ^u r \ A-a 



British representative 01 the genus Lagopus, diners 



much more markedly from the former than does the grouse. Male 



ptarmigan in the white winter-dress may always be distinguished at 



a glance from willow-grouse in the same state b\' the presence of a 



black patch in front of each eye, which is rudimentary or wanting in 



