84 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



there is a rich growth of bright green shoots even in the most 

 severe winter (see PL XL, Fig. 2). 



There is no doubt that it is on the moors which have a 

 large proportion of this short, close-growing heather that the 

 largest stock of birds can be carried over the winter. But it 

 is only on a special class of ground that this type of heather 

 is found to grow naturally ; it is usually associated with dry, 

 hard soil, good natural drainage, a rocky subsoil, and only a 

 shallow layer of peat on the surface ; it is uncommon in districts 

 with a heavy rainfall. 



Even on the best ground there is a tendency for the heather 

 to grow too long and bushy ; but this tendency can fortunately 

 be controlled by artificial means. In a later chapter the subject 

 of heather burning is fully described, 1 and it is only necessary 

 here to state that, for purposes of food, heather ceases to have 

 any value after it has been allowed to become rank. 



With the advent of May comes a great change in the condition 

 of the heather plant. In this month every twig breaks out 

 into green shoots, even the oldest and most ragged stick heather 

 will produce young growth of the kind most valuable as food 

 for Grouse ; but it is now too late for this tardy recovery to 

 be profitable, for the days of famine are past, and there is 

 sufficient food to feed ten times as many birds as there are upon 

 the ground. Even in this month of plenty, however, the 

 close, short heather of from 4 to 8 inches in height is superior 

 to the straggly forest of overgrown plants, for there is an ever 

 present risk of late spring frost when the tender young shoots 

 will require all the shelter they can get. 



The appearance of the young growth is marked by an 

 immediate change in the diet of the Grouse. On referring 

 again to Table II., it will be seen that in May the consumption 

 of fresh green heather shoots rises suddenly to 69 J per cent., 

 while that of the dry winter heather drops to 12 per cent. At 

 the same time the proportion of miscellaneous foods is more 

 than doubled, owing doubtless to the fact that every moorland 



1 ride chap. xii. pp. 343 ft seg. 



