GROUSE 121 



from in terror, are assailed with all the fury that they 

 display towards one another in their contests. I have 

 seen one beat off and chase a Hooded Crow that had by 

 chance come within two hundred yards of his family 

 party : even this appeared to be considered too close 

 quarters for safety. 1 



The watchfulness of the old hens at this season for the 

 safety of their brood is so great, and their power of 

 detecting danger on its first appearance so acute, that it is 

 difficult to watch their habits. One cannot get near them 

 without being observed, and they are difficult to find even 

 with a good glass. When they are discovered, however, 

 one will be struck with admiration at the care and attention 

 which the hen pays to each individual of her family, now 

 running to catch flies for one, or pulling up the tender 

 shoots of grass and heather for another, and inducing the 

 little one to eat by pretending to do so herself. Even a 

 caterpillar that she considers too large for one is divided 

 up into separate pieces for the greedy mouths that are 

 expecting the choice morsel. 



Her care, too, does not cease even after the young 

 birds are well grown, and, from the sportsman's point of 

 view, sufficiently capable of looking after themselves. 

 What shooter at the beginning of the season does not 

 know the familiar " coq, coq " of the old hen ? Has he 



1 Donald Ross, the keeper at Eskadale, Strath Beauly, told me lie once 

 saw a cock Grouse keep at bay a Sparrow-Hawk that was attempting to 

 seize one of his young. The hen gathered all her chicks under her, and 

 squatted down closely in the heather, whilst the cock dodged backwards and 

 forwards under the Hawk, and exposed his breast whenever the marauder 

 attempted to pounce. This lasted for some five minutes, till the Hawk 

 became disgusted and beat a retreat without having effected his purpose. 



