1910.] PLUMAGE UK THE HEl) GROTSIC. 1017 



There may be in July, in tlie hen, as many as six or eiglit old 

 primaries in each wing with frayed tips, still to be renewed. 



Precocious young birds of the year can readily be distin- 

 gnished in July from hens in moult, because in the former tlie 

 dark red -brown black-lined autumn-plumage is on the flanks, 

 while the broad-bari'ed buff and black, and i-ather worn-out 

 chicken-feathers ai-e in the centre of the abdomen. In the, 

 adult the distribution is reversed. The broad-barred buff and 

 black feathers of the spring- plum age are on the flanks and the 

 redder fine-barred autumn-phnnage is appearing in the centre 

 (compare PI. XO. figs, a, c, y, h, Jc, & n, and fig. d). 



In skin No. 284 there seems to be an unusual compromise in 

 a very backward hen, owing to disease. The compromise is 

 between the broad-barred and the winter-plumage with its 

 very fine black cross-lines (PI. XC. figs, e.f, I, & m). 



The legs and feet in July are naked and the claws are very 

 small ; but the feathei's are already showing through as small 

 white points, not to be confused with broken shafts, which 

 occasionally result from wear and tear in woody heather. 



The plumage of the hen Gi'ouse in August is well known. It 

 has already been pointed out in another paragraph how, owing 

 to the sudden increase of observation and owing to the sudden 

 arrival of opportunities for examining an enormous number 

 of biids over the whole country during this month, there 

 has sprung up an idea that disease amongst Grouse has a 

 recrudescence in the autumn. But this is not the case. Thei^e 

 are probably fewer diseased birds on the moor in August than 

 there are in July. In July, however, they aie never seen, and 

 therefore not suspected, but in August they are almost invariably 

 shot and carefully picked out of every bag, and owing to the 

 general inteiest in the question of disease, are almost always 

 noticed, and in a large proportion of cases publicly notified. 



Hence the idea that disease makes a new stai't in August and 

 September. 



As a matter of fact, however, these wasted birds are almost 

 certainly convalescent. They have been diseased, and they are 

 still suffering from disease, but thanks, in the majority of cases, 

 to their sex (for the bulk of the sickly autumn birds ai^e hens) 

 they have avoided actual death in the two highest mortality 

 months, April and May. Once tided over those fatal months 

 the food and general conditions of life improve, the weight of the 

 cock goes up and the balance is again in favoiu' of recovery for 

 him ; and although with the hen the exigencies of incubation 

 and the cares of the family continue to militate against her 

 recovery until June and even to July, she then rapidly begins to 

 put on weight, and in August and September has once more 

 everything in her favoui' towards complete i-ecovery. 



Many sick-looking " piners " are shot upon the mooi's in 

 August, but it should be remembered that in that month they are 

 recovering from disease, not growing worse ; and in September 



