350 BRITISH BIRDS. 



On page 40 he sums up his involved and somewhat lengthy 

 remarks as follows : — 



" In conclusion, it is the case that the summer or breeding plumage 

 of the cock grouse is achieved, for the most part, by repigmentation 

 and pattern change of most of the winter feathers below the neck, and 

 above that part by a gradual spring moult (differing considerably in 

 individuals as to date), whilst in the case of certain males these 

 ornamental feathers may extend in small numbers to the nape, 

 scapulars, chest, back and tail-coverts, thus partly forming an orna- 

 mental nuptial dress similar in character to that of the Willow Grouse. 

 It is also a new and curious fact that the male should moult the 

 feathers of the legs and feet at any period between March 30th and 

 June 17th, as the margin of time is so very wide." 



Mr. Millais has entirely misunderstood the meaning of 

 what he has seen. In the first place the " new richly marked 

 black and yellow feathers " (see p. 39) which he found on the 

 head, neck, etc., of two birds killed on the 1st and 13th of 

 May respectively were, of course, the beginning of the 

 autumn--pluma,ge, which every male assumes and which always 

 commences to appear on the head and neck. In some indi- 

 viduals a few of these feathers may be found even as early as 

 March and April, but this is by no means always the case, 

 for they generally begin to appear towards the end of May or 

 early in June. I can produce a male killed in December in 

 which a few black and yellow feathers can be found coming 

 in on the crown and nape. Such precocious birds are, 

 however, quite exceptional, and do not in any way alter the 

 certain fact that the male Red Grouse does breed in his 

 winter-plumage without undergoing any change in pattern 

 or otherwise. 



In another place Mr. Millais appears to have had a 

 glimmering of the truth, for he writes (p. 39) : — 



" These summer-plumage features (sic) would doubtless form part 

 of the true autumn-plumage and would be cast somewhere about mid- 

 September, but that does not seem to detract from the fact that they 

 are a separate and ornamental attribute achieved by the bird for 

 decorative purposes during the time of brilliance, whilst in colour they 

 are in no way quite similar to the dull buff and black autumnal dress 

 assumed in June." 



If these black and yellow feathers " doubtless form part 

 of the true autumn-plumage " one may ask how can they 

 possibly be regarded as representing a breeding-plumage ? 

 Are we to believe that these feathers on the head and neck 

 which are "in no way quite similar to the dull buff and black 

 autumnal dress " are again replaced at the autumn moult? 



I think if Mr. Millais will re-examine the feet of the birds 

 killed in April, etc., he will find that they are not moulting, 



