The Red Grouse Natural History. 105 



are polygamous. The birds pair in the early spring, or 

 rather at the end of winter, and by the end of February all 

 the mating is over. By the end of April laying is in full 

 progress. Sometimes birds will pair as early as the first 

 week in December, but these premature matings are 

 apparently ended on the first severity of weather. The 

 nest is made in any slight hollow beneath or in the centre 

 of a tuft of heather, where no water can, or rather should, 

 accumulate. The furnishing of the nest is very slight 

 some bits of moss, or ling, and bents scraped together from 

 near at hand. In this apology for a nest the eggs are 

 deposited, varying from four to thirteen or fourteen, but 

 the average we should judge to be near seven or eight. 

 As soon as the young are hatched, the hen alone completing 

 the incubation, they are taken care of by both parents, the 

 hen assuming immediate charge, while the cock watches 

 assiduously to protect his progeny from the attacks of 

 vermin. The brood remains with the old bird until the 

 autumn, when the family is broken up, and the birds pursue 

 their respective courses, although remaining to some extent 

 in consort till the " packing " of winter begins, when the 

 broods become finally spread. 



The daily routine of the red grouse's existence has features 

 of its own. It is decidedly an early bird, and takes its first 

 meal betimes in the morning, resorting subsequently to 

 those spots where the day is passed in basking and " scrap- 

 ping about/' after which, in the afternoon, it seems to turn 

 its attention to feeding again, and goes to roost early. In 

 an undisturbed state we never find the grouse flying at dusk, 

 much less afterwards, nor can we catch them napping among 



