THE MANNERS OF THE GROUSE 



Kent from a Yorkshire moor, and lived for several 

 years in a cage in the hall of a country house. ' This 

 was an old cock bird, and its constant call in the 

 morning used to echo through the house.' ' A pleas- 

 ing description of the lameness of a covey of grouse 

 was contributed to the ' Field ' of February 5, 1887, by 

 a correspondent who signed his article with the letter 

 ' X.' ' Now the history of these tame birds is as 

 follows : A friend of mine one who delights in all 

 matters relating to the habits of wild birds, and, what 

 is more, is thoroughly versed in the subject had a 

 nest of grouse eggs hatched out under a hen this on 

 the same ground where his young pheasants were 

 being reared. When first out of the egg the young 

 grouse showed a disposition to stray somewhat too 

 far from the maternal coop ; but this little difficulty 

 was easily overcome by the intelligent keeper. At 

 some distance a wire netting was placed round the 

 coop. In a very short time this was removed ; 

 but to show the result of habit and training on 

 birds, it was found that the young ones circled round 

 much about the place where the wire netting had 

 stood. 



' Time went on, and they soon settled into the 

 habits of their pheasant companions. Some six or 

 1 Zoologist, 1885, p. 183. 



