GROUSE IN CAPTIVITY 455 



possible that these coccidian cysts in the bronchioles would be 

 capable of setting up sufficient irritation to account for the 

 pneumonic symptoms observed in the lungs of such young 

 birds. It would seem that Coccidiosis is the greatest danger 

 to be found in the hand-rearing of Grouse, and the precautionary 

 methods recommended in chapter ix. should be carefully 

 borne in mind by those who contemplate hand-rearing on a 

 large scale. 



It may be interesting to know how the Grouse were fed. Food. 

 At first, of course, the feeding was largely experimental ; as 

 has already been mentioned the coops were placed where the 

 Grouse could obtain fresh heather for themselves, and it was 

 extraordinary to see the way in which the birds ate the heather. 

 Two birds in forty-eight hours would make the patch of heather 

 contained within their coop appear as if it had been browsed 

 by sheep. Later on the birds were supplied with faggots or 

 bunches of fresh heather, and this was found to answer admirably, 

 for at the place to which the surplus Grouse were sent in 1909 

 there was hardly any growing heather, and the birds were for 

 the most part kept on bilberry patches, with a few scraps of 

 heather. In addition to heather the birds received a mixture 

 of grain ; at first this consisted of dharri, chicken rice, buck- 

 wheat, and feed millet, but it was found they did not eat the 

 two last, so latterly only dharri and chicken rice were given. 

 Experience also shows that Grouse are very partial to fresh 

 vegetables, especially lettuce. Attention has already been 

 called to the necessity of a pure water supply. 



Another important point is grit. Grouse must have plenty 

 of suitable grit ; the best and most natural is white quartz. 

 The Grouse on the experimental area were always supplied 

 with plenty of this grit, and without it they could not 

 have been kept in health. Grit must be supplied from the 

 earliest stage of the bird's existence ; it has been found in the 

 gizzard of a Grouse chick not forty-eight hours old. 



When quite young Grouse will thrive on hard-boiled eggs 

 and young heather, but the best food for them is fresh ants' 



