BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 107 



chapter, and cannot therefore discuss the question of grouse- 

 disease, important though it be. The matter is a difficult 

 one and by no means thoroughly cleared up. The disease 

 does much havoc, occurring in epidemics, probably aggra- 

 vated by, if not partly due to, overcrowding of areas under 

 the very efficient methods of preserving. The first recorded 

 outbreak appears to be for 1815. 



The sporting side is also beyond our scope, and we need 

 only refer to it very briefly. An enormous economic 

 importance attaches to the Grouse because of the great 

 amount of money that changes hands through it in one 

 way and another. As every one knows, the shooting season 

 opens on 12th August, lasting till 10th December. The 

 usual method of shooting nowadays is to have the birds 

 driven across a long line of ' butts ' made of peats or other 

 material, behind which the members of the party and their 

 loaders are concealed. INIany sportsmen prefer the simpler 

 method of going out alone or in a small party and tramp- 

 ing over the moors, putting up their own birds with dogs. 

 Fewer birds are got, but enjoyment should not be 

 measured by the size of the 'bag.' Rather the reverse, 

 for is it not the essence of true sport that there should 

 be some approach to equal chances on both sides .? 



THE PTARMIGAN 



(Lagopus mutus). 



Plate 35. 



Although the second British representative of this genus — 

 namely, the Ptarmigan — is a more distant ally of the 

 Willow-Grouse, it has with it one point in common which 

 is not shared by the Red -Grouse. This is the white 

 winter plumage specially adapted to a life amid the 



