70 



THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



Yet the importance of heather in building up the birds for the approach 

 of winter cannot be exaggerated, and there is little doubt that in a bad heather 

 year all the young birds suffer, while even in a good heather year the later 

 broods will be permanently handicapped as regards physique and disease-resisting 

 power if they have missed the best food months. 



The most noteworthy fact brought out by Table II. is that Grouse appear 

 to require a larger quantity of food in the winter months from December to 

 March, than in the spring, summer and autumn months from April to 

 November. 1 



It is, of course, true that in a bad heather year Grouse may find substitutes 



for their staple diet. Of these substitutes blaeberry is undoubtedly the most 



valuable, as may be seen by reference to Tables III. and IV. ; 2 but 



Substitutes . ,',-,-, T i i 



for in many districts blaeberry does not grow upon the moors, and m no 



case is it so reliable a winter food as good heather. Other substitutes 



for heather are rush-heads, crowberry, bog myrtle buds, seeds of P. tormentilla 



TABLE III. SHOWING THE PERCENTAGES OF VARIOUS FOODS FOUND IN CROP CONTENTS OF GROUSE 



FROM APRIL TO NOVEMBER INCLUSIVE. 



fern leaves, bog cranberry leaves, flowers of Erica tetralix and Erica cinerea, 

 moss spore capsules, sheep sorrel leaves and seeds, insects, and oats. On pp. 83- 

 87 will be found a list of the vegetable foods eaten from time to time by the Red 

 Grouse, with illustrations of some of the plants referred to. 



The summer substitutes for heather, while interesting as showing the wide 

 range of the Grouse's diet when many varieties of food are available, cannot 

 be considered of great importance to the health of the adult bird, for if the 



1 Vide also p. 79. 2 Vide pp. 76, 79 and 80. 



