GROUSE 131 



whom lie very naturally expected lie \YOuld obtain some 

 delicacy, as every one wan in the haljit of giving him 

 something to eat ; ]jiit this old scoundrel was a stranger, 

 and Ijarljarously despatched the confiding Ijird with his 

 spade. 



Another that was kept for a long time at Guisachan, 

 Lord Tweedmouth's beautiful place in Ross-shire, became 

 equally tame, and was probably one of the few pets that 

 have not suffered an untimely end. After being kept for 

 several years, he departed as usual in the spring to the 

 hills, where he annually assisted in the increase of the 

 stock, but did not return to the house, as was his wont, 

 durino; the followino" winter. He feared neither man nor 

 beast, and became great friends with a certain dog in the 

 house, on whose back he often used to ride. The follow- 

 ing instance of his plucky disposition was related to me 

 on separate occasions by each of the two guns who were 

 present when the affair occurred. A shooting party were 

 beating the hillside near the house, when a pointer that 

 w^as w^orking stood to birds which eventually rose, and 

 some were killed ; but as the dog still held , they correctly 

 inferred that there was pr<;)l)al;)ly anotlier l)ird left, which 

 proved to be the case. This happened to l^e the tame 

 Grouse, whose presence was quite unexpected, and who 

 considered being pointed such an insult that when the 

 unfortunate dog approached near enough to be disagree- 

 able, he flew up and attacked him so blindly that he was 

 with difliculty rescued from its jaws. Like the other 

 tame bird, he seemed rather to appreciate the sound of 

 guns, and always turned up at the covert shoots in the 

 park. On one occasion he was taken to Oxfordshire, 



