132 THE GROUSE 



the digestive economy of the grouse. 

 When, therefore, anything occurs, nutri- 

 mental or otherwise, to disorganise these 

 functions the caeca are invaded by para- 

 sitical worms in incredible numbers, and 

 the grouse dies from practically the same 

 disease, appendicitis, which is so common 

 in the human race, though in the latter 

 case there is only one appendix, not two 

 as in the grouse. 



If it would be too much to say that all 

 the maladies affecting grouse may be 

 traced to malnutrition arising from un- 

 sound or insufficient food, it is at least 

 certain that an intimate and fatal connec- 

 tion between disease and unsuitable food 

 has been demonstrated. In the Interim 

 Report it is stated, " If there is one fact 

 that the Committee consider they have 

 established absolutely it is the intimate 

 connection between the food-supply and 

 the grouse, that is to say, it is on the food 

 of the grouse that the co-efficient of resist- 

 ance against the ever - present hurtful 

 entozoa chiefly depends. All evidence 



