BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 33 



is laying, she covers the eggs carefully with pine 

 needles on leaving the nest, but I have never known 

 her do this after incubation has commenced. 

 The eggs number from eight to ten, but the usual 



CAPERCAILZIE'S NEST. 



BIRD HAS COVERED THE EGGS DURI 



clutch is from six to eight. They are very pretty, 

 being thickly spotted with reddish-brown, the ground 

 colour being of a lighter tinge, and are some- 

 what similar to those of the grey hen, only larger. 

 The period of incubation is nearly a month, and 

 the chicks on issuing from the shell are quite able 



