THE MANNERS OF THE GROUSE 31 



ever any of the members of my friend's family began 

 to play, Mr. Grouse would always put in an appear- 

 ance, seeming to enjoy the fact that he was an 

 obstructionist, and refusing to clear off unless forcibly 

 removed and shut up in his pen. If taken to the 

 other end of the grounds he would almost imme- 

 diately return to the tennis court. Such was the soci- 

 ability of his disposition that he had absolutely no 

 sense of fear at the report of firearms ; in fact, he 

 would frequently follow the shooters out to a distance 

 of several fields from the house before he would 

 return home, satisfied that they had taken their 

 departure for the whole day, so that it would be of 

 no use accompanying them. Every night, before 

 retiring to roost in his beech tree, he would take long 

 flights round and round the house and village, which 

 was close by; and in the course of one of his evening 

 rambles he espied an old man digging, from whom 

 he very naturally expected he would obtain some 

 delicacy, as everyone was in the habit of giving him 

 something to eat ; but this old scoundrel was a 

 stranger, and barbarously despatched the confiding 

 bird with his spade.' ' Mr. Millais mentions another 

 tame grouse, which lived for a long time at (iuisachan, 

 Lord Tweedmouth's place in Koss-shire. ' After 



!' 50. 



