BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 103 



to suit the milder conditions of our climate. Whether 

 the Red-Grouse has earned the right to specific rank is 

 the disputed point. Some authorities hold that since it 

 'invariably breeds true, admits of an easy diagnosis, 

 and has a definite geographical range,' it may therefore 

 be regarded as a separate species, although its common 

 origin with the Willow-Grouse is by no means disputed. 

 Others hold that the differences are insufficient to 

 warrant its being considered more than a geographical 

 race. If this latter view be accepted, the unique position 

 referred to is of course destroyed, inasmuch as a score or 

 more of species have geographical races peculiar to our 

 area. But we may safely say that the differences in these 

 other cases are much slighter, so that the Red-Grouse, if 

 not alone, is at least foremost in this respect. To enter 

 further on the merits of this question of rank is beyond 

 our scope, more especially as we have no concern with the 

 Willow-Grouse. But we may mention that for present 

 purposes we shall adhere, for convenience if for no other 

 reason, to the old custom of speaking of the Red-Grouse 

 as a species. 



With the Red -Grouse we enter on a well-marked 

 natural Order, of which it is a quite characteristic 

 member. 'Gallinaceous birds' we should strictly call 

 them, but for the British Isles the name 'Game-birds' is 

 a more convenient popular title. The half-dozen species 

 we have to deal with here are all so well known, 

 and their common characteristics are so obvious, that 

 we do not need to make any general remarks on the 

 group as a whole apart from what we may incidentally 

 mention in the com-se of the chapter. But we must 

 remark that although 'Game-birds' forms a very con- 

 venient and at the same time appropriate name for the 

 group, it is neither the case that it includes all our 



