58 NATURAL HtSTORY OF THE GROUSE 



" yellow hens," which latter are finer in the markings 

 of the feathers, and lack the boldness of the lines 

 found in the Irish bird.' Mr. Millais points out that 

 grouse will be found in full moult in April, August 

 and October, but they change plumage gradually 

 all through the year. From the month of May 

 the plumage of both sexes passes through all the 

 changes mentioned in the case of the ptarmigan, 

 and every fresh month brings its alteration of 

 feathers, either by moulting, discoloration, or both, 

 till by November the bird stands clothed in its winter 

 dress, that shows the type completed in one form or 

 another. Young birds of the year are easily distin- 

 guished till the month of September, but by Novem- 

 ber it is impossible to see any difference between 

 them and the old birds. Many men who have spent 

 the best part of their lives on the moors will assure 

 you that grouse vary in colour according to the ground 

 they frequent, just as others feel convinced that they 

 find certain types of colour in certain counties. Thus 

 they hold that what they call ' stone-bred grouse ' are 

 reared in rocky places, and that their plumage is 

 barred rather than spotted, and of a generally greyer 

 tone of colour than is elsewhere met with. I cannot 

 say that I personally place much faith in such asser- 

 tions, believing that birds vary almost indefinitely even 



