1270 OF SHOOTING, 



berries; but their food is nothing more than 

 the seeds that grow on the tops of the young 

 heath or heather, and small pebbles all the 

 winter and till the next berry season. By 

 opening the part that contains the food, the 

 sportsman will find it is so, and the fragrance 

 very fine. The young birds for the first 

 year are called poults. 



The grouse inhabit those mountains and 

 moors which are covered with heath or 

 heather, and seldom or ever descend into 

 the lower grounds. They fly in packs con- 

 sisting in general of four or five brace ; and 

 they love to frequent mossy places, particu- 

 larly in the middle of the day, and w r hen the 

 weather is warm. The old cock is known by 

 the cocking noise he makes, and when the 

 dogs point at a brood, he is commonly the 

 first bird that goes off. 



In pursuing this game, if, when the dogs 

 are set, the shooter perceives the birds to 

 erect their heads and run, he may be pretty 



