THE RED GROUSE OR MOOR FOWL in 



forty or fifty, and are extremely wild and shy. This bird, as is well 

 known, attracts large numbers of sportsmen every August to the 

 moors to take part in the grand sporting campaign which follows 

 " the twelfth." 



The red grouse feeds upon the tender growths of heather and 

 other herbage, and also upon insects. Where moors impinge on 

 moorside farms the grouse acquire the habit of feeding upon legu- 

 minous herbage and also upon grain, chiefly in harvest time and 

 in stubbles. Moor-side farmers, however, lodge no serious com- 

 plaint against the depredations of grouse on their crops. 



FIG. 70. THE RED GROUSE OR MOOR FOWL. 



The COMMON PTARMIGAN or WHITE GROUSE (Lagopus mutus 

 or vulgar is), Fig. 71, has the legs and feet thickly covered with hair- 

 like feathers. It is ash-coloured in summer, but its hue changes 

 to a pure white in winter. The flesh is dark coloured. It is found 

 in most northern regions, such as the north of Scotland, principally 

 among the mountains ; but the numbers seen in the London market 

 are chiefly imported from Norway and Sweden. The Ptarmigan's 

 nest is a loosely constructed heap of twigs and grass, and contains 

 from ten to fourteen eggs, of a reddish-white spotted with brown. 



The COMMON WILD DUCK or MALLARD (Anas boschas), Fig. 72, 

 is included in the family Lamellirostres of the Natatores or Swim- 

 ming Birds, and in the sub-family Anatidse or Ducks. It is found 

 both in Europe and America, and is the original stock of the domes- 

 ticated duck, which appears to have been reclaimed at a very early 

 period. There are few fresh-water lakes and rivers of the British 

 Islands where the wild duck is not found, while it is preserved in 

 several ornamental lakes, and duly attended to in feeding, for afford- 

 ing sport, called " duck shooting." It inhabits the greater part of 

 the northern hemisphere, reaching in winter so far as the Isthmus of 

 Panama in the New World, and in the old being abundant in the 



