52 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



still quite bare, and now, of course, this feature may truly be taken to be 

 a sign of sickness and disease, though in a convalescing bird. 



In October one may find a very backward bird with as many as three 

 worn-out primaries in either wing to change ; but, as a rule, the wing is 

 perfect, the primaries and secondaries and their coverts all completely 

 new, and in the tail the rectrices are full grown. The legs and feet 

 are now also fully feathered, though the thickness of the growth increases as 

 the winter cold comes on. On the back the bird now looks fresh and richly 

 coloured, from head to tail, but a close search will always disclose a number 

 of spring-plumage feathers which have still to be thrown off. Underneath, 

 the rich red-copper colour is gradually replacing all the previous buff on 

 the chin and throat. The change "hangs fire" a little on the neck and upper 

 breast, but it is still progressing, whereas on the lower breast and belly 

 the rich red or darker winter plumage with its beautiful fine black cross- 

 lines and pure white flecks is a very striking feature. 



There are, in the Committee's collection of skins, a number of examples 

 showing the result of disease in deferring the moult ; many of these birds, 

 even in October and November, have made no effort to get rid of the old, 

 faded and completely worn-out spring plumage. The majority of these birds 

 have been so diseased in spring that they have not bred at all. The ovaries 

 have throughout the season shown no development, and there are no signs, 

 even in the earlier months, of the shedding or development of ova or 

 of any increase in size of the oviduct. They have been true barren hens. 

 In some cases (e.g., in No. 1247) there appear, in November, feathers of 

 three separate plumages. There are the faded spring-plumage feathers of 

 the current year, but mixed up with them here and there are new feathers 

 of the autumn plumage coming, and here and there exceedingly old worn 

 feathers of the autumn plumage of the year before. No. 1225, an October 

 hen, shows exceedingly well how the bare, broody patch of the abdomen 

 grows delayed broad - barred buff and black feathers instead of the fine- 

 barred darker autumn - plumage feathers which surround the patch. These 

 broad-barred feathers appear in two parallel rows, breaking through the skin 

 of the broody patch on either side of the medial line ; this growth is 

 also well shown in a specimen at the British Museum of Natural History 

 (PI. xiv.). 



In November the chief alteration is the completion of the autumn moult 



