6844 Birds. 



Pheasant {Phasianus colchicus). Introduced, but seems to thrive 

 very well, and is a most beautiful ornament to parks and woods. 

 Partially pied varieties sometimes occur, and one called " silver 

 pheasant" bj^ most people. 



Black Grouse {Telrao telrix). Sparingly. Chiefly in the higher 

 districts. 



Red Grouse {T. exoticus). On all our moors and hills, but not in 

 great numbers. 



Ptarmigan {T. lagopus). Less frequent than either of the two last. 

 Inhabiting only the summits of our highest mountains, they are more 

 seldom seen than those which frequent the lower ground. Like all 

 others of the grouse tribe, they are yearly decreasing in number. 



Partridge [Perdix cinerea). Pretty common. A very cunning and 

 faithful mother is the female ; for when she has eggs she never goes 

 out, if time permits, without hiding them so carefully that it is almost 

 impossible to detect their whereabouts ; and if you take her by sur- 

 prise, away she hobbles on one leg and a wing, trailing on the 

 ground as if wounded. Poor creature ! You pity her, she is so 

 maimed, and follow to pick her up. Away she crawls. You near 

 her, and, feeling sure of having her, pounce down. Ha! Ha! Wh'at 

 a comical figure you cut ! Where is the half-dead, severely-maimed 

 bird gone ? Why, flown to be sure, and left you sprawling on the 

 ground, like a flounder just cast ashore. You rise satisfied that you 

 have been fairly duped. It now occurs to you that you frightened 

 the bird from her nest, and in revenge you resolve to rob her of her 

 eggs. But what makes you look so bewildered, turning round to all 

 the points of the compass ? " Why, I don't know which way to turn 

 to seek the nest," you exclaim. I believe you, and can tell you from 

 experience that you have been led, by a very long, circuitous route, 

 far away from it. Wonderful instinct, this ! If it is a dog it is all 

 the same : they will allure him just as they will you, from young as 

 well as from eggs. But 1 have neglected to mention a fact, in con- 

 nexion with the red grouse, which shows in a very remarkable manner 

 how close the female will at times sit rather than expose her eggs. 

 Wandering about the Waggle Hill one day, with my friend the late 

 Rev. Mr. Smith, I chanced to observe a moor-fowl squatted on the 

 ground, amongst the heather close to my feet ; in fact, I stood above 

 her before I noticed her. Being summer time I at once guessed the 

 nature of the case. On my friend coming up I drew his attention to 

 the bird over which I stood. " Oh," said he, " she's surely dead, Mr. 

 Edward." " Oh, no," I said, " there are either eggs or young." 



