242 TOUR IN SUTHERL ANDS H IRE. 



on very nearly the same food. This circumstance tends to 

 corroborate the supposition that the epidemic amongst 

 grouse is by no means occasioned by any failure in the 

 growth of the heather. 



In many parts of Scotland an old blackcock is almost 

 uneatable, his flesh having so strong a flavour of juniper: 

 where, however, this plant does not abound, the black game, 

 feeding on grain and other seeds, are as good for the table as 

 any other kind of game. Although the blackcock and 

 capercailzie frequently breed together, and mules between 

 the pheasant and black grouse are, though rare, occasionally 

 seen, I have very rarely found a well-authenticated case of a 

 mule bird bred between the grouse and blackcock being 

 killed. In most instances in which birds supposed to be 

 hybrids between these two species have fallen under my 

 observation, they appeared to me to be merely greyhens, 

 whose plumage had become like that of the cock. I have 

 seen birds of this kind in the Edinburgh Museum and 

 elsewhere, and I saw one killed this autumn (1848), which 

 had very much the appearance of a hybrid, but on closer 

 examination I came to the conclusion that it was merely an 

 old greyhen, who had changed her appearance as the hen- 

 pheasant does. This latter bird we all know is very 

 frequently killed in different stages of change towards the 

 male plumage. The same is the case with the common 

 domestic fowl and the peahen. It is difficult to account for 

 the cause of this transformation. We know that it does not 

 arise from any disease or ill-health, as the birds in their 

 borrowed plumage are always in as good condition as any 

 others. 



It is very rare indeed to find any wild animal subject to 

 illness, with the exception of the epidemics before alluded 

 to. Unless they are wounded and unable to hunt for their 

 own food, all wild birds and animals keep themselves plump 

 and healthy. The woodpigeon is indeed frequently subject 

 to a kind of cancer and growth on their bills and about the 

 eyes, which eventually destroys them ; but I attribute this 

 disease to feeding on the beech-mast, which is probably too 

 heating a food for the young birds. The old woodpigeons are 

 seldom if ever attacked by this disease, notwithstanding their 

 great fondness for beech-mast and acorns. 



Woodpigeons are not so much valued for the larder as they 

 deserve to be. They are excellent eating at all seasons, 



