THE GROUSE. !-> 



cated to other parts of the frame. The throat, after 

 passing down to a certain distance, dilates into a large 

 membraneous bag, answering to the stomach in qua- 

 drupeds ; it is called the crop, and its great use is 

 to soften the food taken into it, in order to prepare it 

 for going into another large receptacle, termed the 

 gizzard: this, which may be considered as a more 

 powerful stomach than the former, consists of two 

 very strong muscles, lined and covered with a strong 

 tendinous coat, and furrowed on the inside : in this 

 reservoir, the aliment is completely ground and re- 

 duced to a pulp : in the predacious birds, such as 

 eagles, vultures, hawks, owls, and some others, the 

 gizzard is wanting ; the stomach being more allied 

 to that of quadrupeds. 



The Grouse. 



The grouse is a bird which is found in different parts 

 of the globe, and of which there are various kinds. 

 However, as this volume is intended not for the na- 

 turalist, but the sportsman, it will be necessary to 

 describe only those which breed in Great Britain, 

 and that kind in particular, which is the general ob- 

 ject of pursuit, and which is known by the name of 

 red grouse, or moor game. 



These birds are much larger than the partridge; 

 the male weighing about nineteen ounces. The bill 

 is black, the irides hazel-coloured, the throat red, 

 the plumage OP the head and neck a light tawny red, 



G 2 



