

CLASSIFICATION AND LIFE HISTORY 15 



three to twenty-four days, and leave the nest soon after they 

 are freed from the shell. They are anxiously guarded by the 

 parents, the hen being more attached to them than the cock, 

 who, when they are disturbed, is the first to fly from danger, 

 though it may be only for a short distance. The hen, on the 

 other hand, will risk any danger rather than leave her brood 

 be it only a single chicken or two. Often, too, like the Partridge 

 and many other birds, she will feign a broken wing and flutter 

 over the heather, apparently in a terribly damaged condition, 

 until she has lured the intruder away from her brood. This 

 fluttering action of the old bird should always be taken as a 

 warning that the brood is young, that the squatting chicks are 

 probably invisible, and that the danger of treading on them is 

 great. It is most inadvisable when a cock or hen is flushed 

 in the nesting season to walk about to see the size of the brood. 



It is at this stage that the weather conditions become im- 

 portant, for the young chicks are liable to many dangers. It 

 is true that they do not suffer from the cold, drizzly, sunless 

 weather which destroys so many coveys of young Partridges, 

 they are too hardy for that ; but heavy snow, hail, or rain 

 often takes its toll and leaves little trace behind beyond the 

 fact that the coveys are found to be reduced in numbers when 

 they come to the gun. Probably the half-grown chick runs 

 more risk from weather than when it is newly hatched, for its 

 size prevents it from being completely covered by the hen 

 when cold weather or heavy rain sets in. 



The period immediately following hatching, though so 

 critical, is the period regarding which least is known. Few 

 keepers like to disturb the ground at this time, and so the young 

 bird's battle for life is fought unobserved, and only the closest 

 and most patient observation would reveal the true conditions 

 under which the chick's existence is passed. 



The young Grouse, even although they may be squatting 

 within a few feet of the observer, are very difficult to find ; 

 they seem to have the power of making themselves invisible 

 at will, as they cunningly crouch by the side of a tuft of grass 



