RED GROUS. 37 



feathers of the tail, which both in number and arrangement 

 bear a considerable resemblance to those of the ptarmigan, 

 are black The attitude of the body is also more erect ; and 

 the male is larger and more gay in plumage, as compared 

 with the female. The cry of the male bird is very different, 

 being lively and often repeated, while that of the ptarmigan 

 is a sort of croak. 



To the lovers of wild scenery and daring excursions, the 

 haunts of the red grous are not nearly so interesting as those 

 of the mountain bird : they are the slopes and flats, where 

 the heath is of considerable length, which renders walking 

 over them very fatiguing. There is no danger, however, of 

 being lured into bogs and quagmires in the pursuit of grous, 

 as the birds always keep the firm ground. Their feet are not 

 adapted for soft places ; and as their security from birds of 

 prey is in the heather, and not on the wing, they do not rise, 

 except at the sight of men or quadrupeds, and not always 

 then. As they are much more generally distributed in 

 Britain, and more abundant than their upland neighbours, 

 they encounter more visitors, and are more on their guard ; 

 and even when the pack are basking during their noontide 

 repose in the sunny days of autumn, a keen and experienced 

 eye, or the assistance of a pocket telescope, may observe the 

 heads of one or more of the males elevated just so much 

 above the cover as to be able to see in all directions. The 

 visitor is soon espied, a short call-note is uttered, the heads 

 disappear, and the whole pack lie close till the stranger 

 passes. So difficult is it to raise them, especially when the 

 season has been rather unfavourable, and they are not in 

 good feather, that one who has little knowledge of the moors 

 may wander for days in the places where they are most 

 abundant, and not see a single bird. 



On the other hand, when the season is very early and 

 feivourable, and the birds are strong on the wing, they rise 



