CLASSIFICATION AND LIFE HISTORY 7 



states that the hen begins to lay at the end of March, 1 

 while Macpherson, writing in the Fur and Feather series, says 

 that " In the Island of Skye April 24th is a decidedly early 

 date for a full clutch of Grouse eggs." 2 It is an interesting 

 fact that, from the evidence obtained from many moors, of 

 varying altitudes ranging from the south of Wales to the north 

 of Sutherland, there is a difference of only two or three days 

 in the dates when the earliest eggs are found ; March 30th 

 in Yorkshire and Perthshire, and April 1st on high moors in 

 Inverness and Sutherland are dates frequently recorded for the 

 first nest. The date at which the first clutch is completed 

 varies by a full fortnight on high and low ground and on north 

 country and south country moors. In Yorkshire by the end 

 of April many birds have begun to sit, while in central Scotland 

 from April 25th to May 20th would probably cover the dates 

 by which the full clutches are complete on most moors. The 

 intervals between the laying of each egg vary greatly in 

 captivity, probably also in nature, depending upon the weather ; 

 for example, at the Committee's observation area in Surrey 

 it was noted that one hen took twenty-nine days to lay ten 

 eggs an average of one egg every three days ; another laid 

 only four eggs in twenty-six days, or an average of one egg 

 every six and a half days. 



The clutch varies from seven to ten, and rarely reaches Egg* 

 twelve. Macdonald states that the hen lays eight to fourteen or 

 sixteen eggs, 3 while Macpherson gives seven and eight as the 

 most usual number of eggs, and states that " more than ten is 

 quite exceptional." 4 Seebohm, who speaks with authority on 

 all questions of British oology, states that the number of eggs 

 laid would seem " to vary with the propitiousness or other- 

 wise of the season. In very wet and cold springs the smallest 

 clutches contain four or five, and the largest eight or nine ; 

 whilst in very favourable seasons the small clutches are six 



1 "Grouse Disease," p. 99. 



2 Fur and Feather Series, "The Grouse," p. 21. 



3 Macdonald, " Grouse Disease, " p. 99. 



4 Fur and Feather Series, "The Grouse," p. 22. 



