THE BED GROUSE. 167 



1886, 162^ brace; 1887, 30 brace (owing to disease); 

 1888, 1591 brace; 1889, 150 brace; 1890, 179 brace; 

 1891, 178 brace; or in all, 1238^ brace in eleven years, 

 no attempt having been made to secure large bags.^ 



Since 1838, when the Grouse disease first attracted 

 attention, the Lammermuirs have been repeatedly visited 

 by this scourge, the most destruction being caused by the 

 epidemics of 1867 and 1872. In the winter of the 

 latter year the birds were nearly exterminated by the 

 disease, which commenced in December, although they 

 were exceedingly plentiful during the previous autumn. 

 It appeared again in the spring of 1887 at Byrecleugh 

 and other localities, when many dead birds were found 

 on the moors. Like the salmon disease, which for a 

 number of years past has destroyed thousands of fish in 

 the Tweed and other rivers, the Grouse disease has been 

 studied by many naturalists, scientific men, and sportsmen, 

 who do not seem, however, to have arrived at any definite 

 conclusion as to its cause or cure. 



The Eed Grouse is an early breeder, making its nest 

 with a little dry grass and a few feathers amongst the 

 heather, and laying from eight to twelve eggs of a whitish 

 ground colour closely blotched with dark brown and red. 

 The hen alone attends to the hatching of the eggs, and 



Sits, till, with redoubled joy, 



Ai'ound her she beholds an active brood 

 Run to and fro, or through her covering wings 

 Their downy heads look out ; and much she loves 

 To pluck the heather crops, not for herself, 

 But for their little bills. 



Grahame, Birds of Scotland. 



The chicks are generally seen running about the heather 

 on the Lammermuirs for the first time in the season 



1 Information kindly supplied by Mr. John Young, gamekeeper to Lady John 

 Scott-Spottiswoode of Spottiswoode, 23rd December 1891. 



