RED GROUSE. 13? 



RED GROUSE. 



GOR-COCK. MOOR-COCK. MOOR-FOWL. MUIR-FOWL. 



PLATE CXL. 



Lagopus Scolicus, VIELLOT. 



Tetrao Scoticus, LATHAM. 



THE Moor-cock pairs early in the spring, commonly 

 in January, but sometimes even earlier. A brood 

 of young Grouse, able to fly a little, was discovered 

 on the 5th. of March, 1794, near Pendle Hill, in York- 

 shire, by the gamekeeper of Mr. Lister, afterwards Lord 

 Ribblesdale; and a nest with fifteen eggs was found 

 on the 25th. of March, 1835, on Shap Fell, Westmore- 

 land. The female usually begins to lay in March or 

 April; she sits very close, and Mr. Salmon says that 

 one allowed him to take her off her eggs. 



The nest is made of twigs of heather and grass, 

 with occasionally a few of the bird's own feathers, and 

 is placed among heath in some slight hollow. 



The eggs are usually six or seven, but sometimes 

 from eight to twelve, or even more, in number, of 

 different s,hades of ground colour reddish white, brown- 

 ish yellow, yellowish grey, or yellowish white, thickly 

 clouded, blotted, and dotted with blackish and brown: 

 they are nearly of a regular oval form. 



VOL. II. T 



