4 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



the upper parts becomes buff, and the lower surface is barred with buff and 

 black. Mr Ogilvie-Grant recognises three types of plumage in the male, a red 

 form with no white spots, from Ireland and Western Scotland ; a blackish 

 variety comparatively rarely found ; and another largely spotted with white 

 below or even above. Intermediate specimens constitute the bulk of our birds. 

 The female exhibits, moreover, a buff-spotted and a buff- barred form ; but in 

 summer she is typically black above with concentric buff markings, and buff 

 below with black bars. Her autumn plumage, which continues throughout the 

 winter, is black, spotted with buff and barred with rufous." J As we write, Mr 

 Ogilvie-Grant has published in the "Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' 

 Club " an elaborate account of the changes of plumage undergone by 

 the Red Grouse, and of the points wherein he differs from Mr Millais and 

 Dr Wilson ; but this is not the place to enter into controversial matters, 

 and our readers must form their own opinions on the subject. 8 Various 

 reasons have been suggested for the absence of a white winter plumage in the 

 British bird, for which reference may be made to the late Professor Newton's 

 "Dictionary of Birds." 4 



The Red Grouse is not polygamous ; the birds pair very early in the year, 

 and consequently breed at a time when the eggs are apt to be seriously damaged 

 by late frosts, while the young often suffer from similar causes. The 

 usual haunts are moors clothed with heather (Erica) and ling 

 (Calluna), but in some parts at least of the north-west of England they are 

 to be found on hills covered with crowberry (Empetrum), rush (Juncus), and 

 other vegetation, where little if any heather or ling grows. As a rule, the 

 nest is a slight structure of bents and so forth, placed in thick heather or 

 grass, or even on almost bare ground ; the eggs, ranging from five or six to 

 more than a dozen in number, have a yellowish or buffish white ground-colour, 

 normally blotched and spotted with reddish or blackish brown. The colour of 

 the markings, however, varies considerably ; in some specimens they are purplish 

 or very rich red, in others orange-red. The eggs measure nearly 2 inches by 

 rather more than 1. The cock utters his well-known crow at all seasons ; 

 the hen has a somewhat different note in the mating season, and when in charge 

 of the young. The cock has also a clear ringing cry. 



The general habits will be dealt with in the later chapters. 



1 " Cambridge Natural History," vol. ix., Birds, p. 338. Cambridge, 1899. 



2 " British Ornithologist's Club," vol. xxii. p. 122. London, 1910. 



' Vide also chap. iii. 4 " Dictionary of Birds," p. 391. 



