44 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



the plumage of the Red Grouse in both sexes and at 

 all times of the year. The birds are seen only with 

 the greatest difficulty as they skulk amongst the 

 heath and other moorland vegetation; the sitting 

 bird upon her nest is one of the most impressive 

 object-lessons in protective coloration that we have, 

 whilst the eggs and chicks themselves are tinted 

 in colours that harmonize most beautifully with 

 the objects around them. Very early in spring 

 the crow of the cock Grouse proclaims the ap- 

 proaching breeding season. This, however, varies 

 to some extent, the birds on the highest and most 

 exposed moors being later to nest than those dwell- 

 ing on more sheltered heaths. Late snow-storms 

 often destroy many nests, even on the English 

 moors; and we have seen nests in April in South 

 Yorkshire buried in snow and the eggs frozen. 

 Farther north, on the Scottish moors, the young 

 birds sometimes suffer considerably from late snow- 

 storms, whilst persistent wet is almost as fatal to 

 them. The nest is scanty enough, and always 

 made upon the ground amongst the ling and 

 heather, being merely a hollow scratched out by 

 the hen bird and lined with a little vegetable re- 

 fuse, such as bents, withered sprays of heath, and 

 fern fronds. Many nests are made quite close to 

 the highways and footpaths. We have known nests 

 within half a dozen yards of the turnpike road along 



