14 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



time after the return of favourable conditions. The result 

 was that they nested several weeks later than they would 

 otherwise have done, and not only were their broods late, 

 but the number of eggs laid was smaller than usual some- 

 times averaging only four and five in a nest. The resulting 

 smallness of the coveys was often accounted for by the hypoth- 

 esis that several eggs in each nest had been destroyed by the 

 frost in April ; but there was little direct evidence of this, 

 and it seems equally reasonable to suppose that the power of 

 egg production had been impaired by the enforced postpone- 

 ment of nesting. The data are insufficient to establish this 

 theory, but the point is worthy of a passing mention. 



It is certain that some of the eggs are lost owing to their 

 having been dropped on the snow and not in a nest at all. After 

 a certain stage of development the egg is laid wherever the bird 

 happens to be, and it is not uncommon to find eggs dropped 

 in this accidental manner lying on the ground or on snow. 



During the nesting season the hen leaves her nest for a short 

 time in the morning and evening to feed and drink, and her 

 presence in any particular part of a moor may be known by the 

 large " clocker " droppings peculiar to a sitting bird. 



During the period of sitting the Grouse seems to be able to 

 intermit its natural odour, and thus escape the notice of dogs 

 and vermin. This point is noted by St John in " Wild Sports 

 of the Highlands " when he states : " It is a curious fact, but 

 one which I have often observed, that dogs frequently pass 

 close to the nests of Grouse, Partridges and other game without 

 scenting the hen bird as she sits on her eggs." l Probably the 

 CM use of the loss of scent is that when the bird is sitting still 

 the air does not get amongst the feathers and so the scent is 

 retained. The same remark probably accounts for the fact 

 that at midday, when the birds are resting, they are very 

 difficult to find with dogs. 



The young Grouse are hatched after an incubation of twenty- 



1 St John, " Wild Sports and Natural History of the Highlands," p. 29. London : 

 John Murray, 1878. 



