438 BRITISH BIRDS. 
eges. They are yellowish white or buff in ground-colour, spotted with 
rich brown. ‘These spots vary in size from minute pale specks to rich 
irregular blotches occasionally as large as a pea. ‘The small spots are 
generally very numerous, but the larger blotches are few in number and 
often entirely absent. The shell is minutely pitted and possesses some 
gloss. The eggs vary in length from 2°1 to 1:9 inch, and in breadth from 
1:45 to 1°38 inch. Their much larger size, comparatively fewer 
markings, and buff instead of purplish appearance effectually prevent them 
being confused with those of the Red Grouse. They more resemble 
the eggs of the Capercaillie, but are much smaller. Many eggs of the 
Black Grouse are destroyed in wet seasons by the nest being placed in 
low-lying situations or too near water. One brood only is reared in the 
year. The old female will often reel and tumble as if wounded should her 
brood be menaced by danger. In some cases the nests are said to contain 
as many as sixteen eggs, most probably the produce of two hens—a theory 
which is supported by the fact that sometimes a large brood is seen tended 
by two females. 
The Black Grouse is an extremely wary bird, skulking amongst the 
vegetation, and, especially in autumn, lying close until almost trodden upon 
before rising. Its flight is swift, more so, perhaps, than that of the Red 
Grouse, but somewhat laboured. When disturbed this bird generally flies 
for a considerable distance, and often at a great height. Another pecu- 
larity is its partiality for perching in trees. It may continually be seen 
in the branches; and in most districts almost its only roosting-place is in 
pine, fir, and holly trees. The Black Grouse is quite as much a bird of 
the forest as of the moor, and it feeds much on the buds and flowers of 
trees. In autumn it is very fond of frequenting bracken, and may 
sometimes be seen on the stubbles, whilst in spring it often perches on low 
walls, peat-banks, or rocks. It sometimes leaves its cover for some con- 
- siderable distance ; for Dixon has noticed the male birds in considerable 
numbers feeding on the bare hill-side, who when alarmed, instead of flying 
off to the distant woods, invariably ran off to the tufts of rushes and 
hid themselves in them. At this season the male birds feed peacefully 
close to each other. 
The food of the Black Grouse is almost entirely of a vegetable nature, 
varied according to the season of the year. In summer it feeds upon 
various seeds and the tender shoots of heath, leaves, and also insects of 
different kinds, including ants and their eggs, on which latter food the 
young are almost exclusively fed. In autumn its food is still more 
varied ; the various wild fruits of the moor and mountain-side are eaten 
in immense quantities—bilberries, cranberries, juniper-berries, together 
with the berries of the guelder-rose and mountain-ash. It feeds largely on 
grain, and searches the stubbles near its haunts for barley, oats, and wheat. 
