io WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



as the animals indicated kill from a love of killing, 

 they continue to destroy long after their wants are 

 satisfied. The beautiful pine-martens, too, ascend 

 from the rocky woods to hold high carnival during 

 this season; but although they kill many birds 

 they are not so destructive as their congeners. One 

 of the greatest depredators is the fox. The cubs are 

 brought forth in the impregnable fastnesses of the 

 mountains, whence nothing can dislodge them. 

 When they are strong enough they are taken by their 

 parents to batten on the grouse. Here a deep hole 

 is dug in the peaty soil beneath the heather, and the 

 fox cubs are installed. The blood, bones and 

 feathers of both black grouse and red strewn in 

 the neighbourhood of these resorts, tell their own tale. 

 If all goes well with young black-game the feathers 

 soon begin to show through the down, and the birds 

 become larger and plumper each day. They feed 

 upon the shoots of ling and heather, insects, worms 

 and slugs. They travel far, and when about three 

 weeks old get on the wing. At first their flights are 

 limited to a dozen yards, but in a couple of weeks 

 they fly from knoll to knoll, and from brae to brae, 

 distances of a hundred yards or more. They keep 

 together through summer, but in autumn separate, 

 the sexes each flocking together. 



