LAGOPUS MUTUS. 553 



separate and pair j then the inexorable law of reproduction is 

 their chief care. The nest is a slight hollow amongst stones, 

 with a few twigs and grass ; eggs, from eight to fifteen, like the 

 last ; a little less and darker in colour, but equally beautiful. 

 The young run about as soon as hatched, covered with a 

 yellowish-green down ; as difficult to be seen when they scatter 

 among the grey stones as the witches on the blasted heath— so 

 perfect is Nature in suiting everything to its proper use, 

 whether it be a young grey ptarmigan squatting unseen on a 

 rocky mountain's brow, or a young woman dressed out in her 

 finery to attract and win her partner for life. Its food is 

 Alpine berries, such as those of the crawcrook, cranberry, and 

 cloudberry, or knoop (Rubus Chamcemorus), with the seeds and 

 shoots of Alpine plants, which even in winter they not only 

 find, but also find a warm retreat by burrowing under the snow 

 on the surface of the mountain. It sometimes, but seldom, needs 

 to descend amongst the heather. Unlike the bold kok, kok of 

 the red grouse, its note of alarm is more like the croak of a frog 

 or the harsh churr of the missel thrush. It breeds in confine^ 

 ment. Unlike the " red grouse," it is widely spread, found in 

 all the Alpine districts of Central Europe, and abundant in the 

 northern latitudes. Its legs and toes are covered with hairy 

 feathers like the last. Both species have the soles of their feet 

 bare, which distinguish them from Lagopus Saliceti, which has 

 its soles covered with hairs. No doubt the covering of the feet 

 with hair induced Pliny to use the words Lagopus from the 

 resemblance to a hare. The next allied genus is that of Perdix 

 — partridge — but before entering upon this genus I will describe 

 a bird called the " sand grouse," which was found on our links 

 in 1888. 



The Sand Grouse or Prairie Grouse. 



(I presume) Pterocles Setarius. 



" Nature never lends 

 The smallest scruple of her excellence ; 

 But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines 

 Herself the glory of a creditor — 

 Both thanks and use."— Measure for Measure. 



In 1888 many rare birds called "sand grouse" were scattered 

 over Britain— about fifty seen on our links in first of June 

 2 L 



