24 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE GROUSE 



maturity. I once asked a gamekeeper to watch half 

 a dozen nests which were near his house. He told 

 me that out of forty-nine eggs, he counted forty-seven 

 chicken grouse. As soon as the young are hatched, 

 especially in dry seasons, the hen takes her brood 

 down to the more swampy parts of the moor.' It will 

 be obvious to most people that the proportion of eggs 

 that hatch out depends very much on the rainfall. 

 Still more does this affect the tiny grouse during the 

 first few days of their existence. If the weather is 

 dry and sunny, the little fellows grow rapidly and soon 

 become fairly independent, learning to peck at small 

 caterpillars, flies, and other insects. _ If heavy showers 

 of rain arrive at the critical time the number of young 

 grouse that perish is often very considerable, for, hardy 

 as they eventually become, they are extremely tender 

 during the first days of their existence. Gradually 

 the cheepers grow stronger, and learn to forage on 

 their own account. They do best in fairly dry seasons, 

 provided always that they have a good supply of water 

 easily accessible. Should this be scarce, the chicks 

 are sadly liable to seek to satisfy their thirst in deep 

 ditches and drains, out of which they cannot easily 

 make their escape. 



Of course it is impossible to guard against such 

 misfortunes. Happily the hen grouse is a careful 



