Vol. xxvii.] 56 



full of blood. One of the chief points that now arises in 

 this discussion is^ What is a spring- or breeding-dress ? 

 Surely it is the plumage a bird assumes in the spring 

 and moults in the autumn. A Knot or Golden Plover 

 assumes a partial ornamental dress in April, which is shed 

 in August, so also does the male Grouse, but to a less 

 extent, and this is supplemented in June by the true autumn- 

 dress, which the bird casts in August and September. Are 

 we, therefore, to call in future every new spring-plumage an 

 * autumn-dress ' ? I object very strongly to Mr. Grant's 

 remark that it is ' conclusively proved ' that the male Grouse 

 breeds only in its winter-summer plumage, because I con- 

 sider his views are quite opposed to my observations. The 

 only way to note the correct progress of any plumage change 

 is by means of freshly killed birds when young and old 

 feathers can be distinctly seen. I had a large number of 

 males shot for that purpose — two a week between February 

 and June, — and maintain that my views on this question 

 published in my book and in the ' Field ' are correct in every 

 particular.^' 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant said that he had listened to all 

 Mr. Millais had to say and regretted that he could not agree 

 with his conclusions. He had not altered his views in any 

 way, and the fact remained that the male Red Grouse did 

 undoubtedly breed in its winter-plumage. The bird which 

 Mr. Millais had found moulting on the head and neck on 

 the 24th of March had no doubt been suffering from disease 

 and was still completing its deferred winter-moult. This 

 was clearly shown by the feathers exhibited, which were 

 chestnut and black, and obviously formed part of the winter- 

 plumage. The autumn - plumage feathers exhibited, and 

 taken from birds killed on the 1st and 6th of April, appeared 

 no doubt to indicate the commencement of the autumn- 

 plumage. As he had already pointed out, such individuals 

 were quite exceptional. It seemed probable that the males 

 when fighting with one another should sometimes lose a few 

 feathers on the head and neck, and that these, when renewed, 

 should resemble the coming autumn-plumage. In company 



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