EED GKOUS. 39 



prevented, has been given up ; and the throwing of much of 

 the country into sheep-walks, has given them more repose in 

 the central highlands, than when the lower glens abounded 

 more with cottages, and the upper with slieilings. But still, 

 their boundaries have been circumscribed, and the pasturage 

 of sheep tends both to destroy their favourite heather, and 

 to disturb them in close-time ; so that with more preservation 

 than formerly, it is probable that the numbers are consider- 

 ably diminished. The heather is the only good cover that 

 they have, both from the weather and from enemies ; it 

 defends the nests and sitting-birds from the rain and the 

 snow, showers of which are not uncommon in the early part 

 of the season } and its colour conceals them from their foes, 

 the most common, and therefore the most destructive, of 

 which is the hooded crow, which is very common in the 

 Scotch highlands. Havens are by no means common, and 

 even the carrion crow is not very abundant. It is possible 

 that the general introduction of sheep may have increased 

 the number of ravens. 



The Welsh mountains, and the heights and moors in the 

 south of England, though bleak enough, are not well adapted 

 for grous, from the absence both of cover and food. The 

 hill bogs of Ireland are better ; but still they are too reten- 

 tive of noisture ; and the dry central mountains of Scotland 

 are thertfore the proper places. 



It is probable that the superior juiciness, and even flavour 

 of the :ed grous, is owing to their having a greater propor- 

 tion of insect food than the ptarmigan, and their not feeding 

 in so himid places as the black game ; for insectivorous birds 

 are always sweeter than those that live on vegetable sub- 

 stance, and both insects and vegetables are better flavoured 

 in drr places than in moist. The difference of flavour thus 

 arishg is felt in differences of season, and appears in fishes 

 as veil as in birds. Grous, partridges, and all the gallina- 



