CHAPTER VIII 



CAUSES OF MORTALITY IN THE RED GROUSE continued 



By Edward A. Wilson 



THE causes of death and damage to Grouse not due to " Grouse Disease " 

 may be classified as follows : 



A. THOSE REFERABLE TO ARTIFICIAL CONDITIONS. 



Accidental consequences of sport, wire-fencing, telegraph-wires, sheep-drains, 

 vermin-traps, poison, etc. 



B. THOSE REFERABLE TO ARTIFICIAL- CONDITIONS. 



Extremes of climate ; cold, heat, wet, snow, etc. 



Destruction by birds and beasts of prey, so-called " vermin," and by the 

 pugnacity of the Capercailzie and Blackgame. 



Exigencies of reproduction : fighting of cocks, over-sitting of hens, egg- 

 binding, gastro-uterine, gestation, etc. 



Exhaustion due to moult, and to skin disease affecting the growth of feathers. 



Deficient diet and starvation, due to frosted, blighted, and over-age heather 

 or to heather-pests ; deficiencies of grit and water ; excessive or injudicious 

 burning ; and feeding on unwholesome foods, e.g., corn-stooks and sour grain. 



A. Causes of Death and Damage resulting from Artificial Conditions. 



Under this heading there are some causes which may be passed with a 

 mere mention. 



Death and 



damage One might do so with all, perhaps, were it not for the interest 



from arti- i i i /^ 



ficial attaching to some of the cases which have come before the Com- 



mittee, and the light which they throw on the recuperative power 



152 



causes. 



