THE CHANGES OF PLUMAGE IN RED GROUSE 57 



dress begin to make their appearance on the back of the neck 

 about the middle of the month. 



In March the change from autumn plumage to spring breed- March, 

 ing plumage is, in healthy birds, now quite unmistakable, 

 though many birds are very backward owing to disease. All 

 doubt as to the sex of healthy birds, whether seen from above 

 or below, is now removed. The broad-barred buff and black 

 feathers of the flanks are now appearing, and are most con- 

 spicuous and characteristic, while the whole of the lower breast 

 and abdomen covered by the red brown or red-black finely 

 barred feather of September growth are still in excellent con- 

 dition and remain unchanged. The feathers of the chin, throat, 

 neck, and upper breast are now mixed with broad-barred black 

 and yellow feathers in forward birds ; while in backward birds 

 the throat and fore-neck may still be clad in copper-red feathers. 

 The legs and feet are already looking worn and less well feathered, 

 but the claws are long. 



In April and in May, for the simple reason that many hen April and 

 Grouse are infected with " Grouse Disease " in these months, May * 

 the proportion of skins of backward hens is large. The birds 

 thus picked up dead carry one immediately back again to 

 winter, for although they ought by this time to be putting 

 the finishing touches to their spring plumage, they are, in fact, 

 but just succeeding in the belated effort to put on the autumn 

 dress. They are thus a clear six months late, and afford the 

 most misleading seasonal characters imaginable. Their legs and 

 feet, instead of being worn and almost moulted clean, are at 

 last, after a winter spent with almost naked legs, well-clothed 

 with thick white feathers. The appearance of the legs there- 

 fore in the hens, as in the cocks, is totally misleading to the 

 keeper or to the sportsman who considers bare unfeathered 

 legs to be a sign of " Grouse Disease," for in April, May, and 

 June none but healthy birds have naked legs and feet. The 

 general character of advanced and healthy birds towards the 

 end of April and in May is that of a complete spring plumage. 

 The whole of the upper parts are broadly barred with buff 



