106 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Situation and Locality. — On the ground, under 

 tufts of dead bracken, brambles, heather, rushes, 

 and coarse grass, I have seen them quite exposed 

 m open pasture land, and have known cows tread 

 upon and break their eggs in such situations. On 

 rough broken land containing heather, rushes, ling, 

 gorse, juniper, mixed woods and j^oung plantations. 

 The bird breeds in suitable parts of England, 

 Wales, and Scotland, but not in Ireland. Our 

 illustration is from a photograph taken in the 

 Highlands of Scotland. 



Materials. — Dry grass, bents, fern or bracken 

 fronds, and other suitable materials at hand, form- 

 ing a scant lining to the selected hollow. 



Eggs. — Five to ten ; yellowish -wdiite to yellowish- 

 brown, irregularly spotted with smallish red-brown 

 spots. Size about 2*0 by 14 in. Distinguished 

 from those of the Capercaillie by their smaller size. 



Time. — April, May, and June. 



Hemarlxs. — Resident. Notes : male, a loud coo- 

 ing, followed by a hissing sound ; female's response 

 plaintive. Local and other names : Black Game, 

 Heath Cock, Black Cock, Heath Poult, Grey Hen 

 (female). Brown Hen (female). Sits closely. 



GROUSE, RED. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 sixteen inches. Beak short, curved downward, and 

 black. Irides hazel. Above the eye is a scarlet, 

 arched membrane. The dominating colour of the 

 head, neck, back, wing, and tail-coverts is reddish- 

 brown, speckled and barred with black. Wing and 

 tail-quills blackisli-brown. Chin and throat rich 

 dark chestnut-brown, unspotted ; breast dark reddish- 



