OBSERVATIONS ON THE FOOD OF GROUSE 



79 



not quite so well distributed as in the earlier period. This remark specially 

 applies to May, June, and July 1907, when only one specimen was received 

 for each month as against a monthly average of fifteen in 1906. 



TABLE V. — Comparison of Monthly Averages of Crop Contents covering Two Years. 



The results of this Table have also been given in the form of a chart for purposes 

 of comparison.^ 



The strain upon the vitality of the Grouse in the winter months is 

 intensified by the fact that a greater bulk of food is required by 



■^ ... ^ J More food 



each bird per day than is required during the summer. required 



-r, n ■ ■ '" winter 



But few would have rated it at five times the value, and yet, than in 



i> ■ r ^ r ci- ■ -i ^ /• summer. 



irom a comparison oi the aiternoon crops oi the winter with those of 

 the summer, this appears to be the case. Thus the average weight of food found 

 in a Grouse crop from December to March, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., is 

 250 grains, whereas the average weight of food found in a Grouse crop 

 from April to November, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., is only 50 grains. 



The fact that more food is required in winter to maintain the body 

 temperature would, of course, partly account for this increase, even Reasons 

 if the heather had the same food - value. But as heather certainly ^°'' *^'^' 

 has an inferior food - value in winter, the amount taken must be increased 



' Vide p. 80. 



