168 THE EED GROUSE. 



about the end of May or beginning of June.^ The 

 " Kok, kok, kok " of the male when he is alarmed, and 

 his morning cry, as well as the sudden spring of the 

 covey from the heather, are familiar sounds and sights in 

 the Lammermuirs which attract the attention of visitors 

 from the Merse. Besides the young shoots of the heather ^ 

 and the leaves and fruit of various wild plants, such as 

 crowberries {Empetrum nigrum), and blaeberries (Vacci- 

 nium myrtillus), the Ked Grouse visits oatfields in the 

 neighbourhood of the moors to feed on the stooks, and 

 to search the stubble for fallen grain. When heavy 

 snow lies on the hills it often descends in numbers to 

 the lower ground for food and shelter. During severe 

 weather in winter many frequent the grass parks at Long- 

 formacus.^ The plumage of this bird varies considerably, 

 and an albino, or one variegated with white, is sometimes 

 seen. A white Grouse was shot at Byrecleugh in 1885,^ 

 and two were seen on Wedderlie Farm in 1887.^ 



The indiscriminate burning of heather is so very in- 

 jurious to Eed Grouse that at various times Parliament 

 has passed Acts on the subject. 



So long ago as 1401 the Scottish Parliament^ made a 

 statute " to be observed through the whole realm that there 

 should be no muir-burning or burning of heath, except in 



1 Mr. Hardy iu his MS. Notes, under date 29tli June 1844, says : " Moor-fowl 

 led dog far away from her young by flying and alighting and fluttering, till, at a 

 great distance, 



O'er the rough moss, and o'er the trackless waste, 



The heath hen flutters, pious fraud ! to lead 



The hot-pursuing spaniel far astray." 



Thomson, Spring. 



- In the crop of a Grouse which was shot in a drive at Abbey St. Bathans on 

 the 25th of November 1887, I found no fewer than 6000 pieces of the top shoots of 

 heather, which, when dried, weighed 318 grains, and filled three ordinary sherry 

 glasses. 



3 * Information from Colonel Brown. 



5 Information from Mr. Clay, Kerchesters. 



" In the list of the prices of game fixed by the Scottish Parliament in the reign 

 of Queen Mary (1551), "small miire fowle" stand at "four pennies." 



