209 



Red Grouse. 



me. The birds were fed five times a day at seven and 

 ten a.m., and one, four, and six o'clock in the evening. 

 Just as much food as they would consume was given each 

 time, but a plentiful supply of seeds was always pro- 

 vided. Although the birds were all healthy, they never 

 appeared to be extremely hungry, and the cause of this I 

 put down to their having plenty to eat inside the runs in 

 the shape of seeds and heather. They were very fond of 

 the young sprouting shoots and leaves of the latter, and as 

 they grew older split oats were supplied and greedily 

 eaten. The birds eventually became very partial to the 

 oats, and would eat these and leave the other seeds. 



It is most important to observe that everything con- 

 nected with the rearing of the birds is kept scrupulously 

 clean, especially the drinking-vessels, and I cannot lay too 

 much stress on the importance of providing fresh water, 

 which is, in my opinion, most essential in keeping the birds 

 in health. Renew the water three times a day, and 

 clean out the dishes on each occasion. 



I must say that I had no difficulty in rearing the birds, 

 and out of the forty chicks hatched not a single death 

 occurred, all reaching a mature stage and growing an 

 excellent plumage. There is really no difficulty in 

 managing the chicks they certainly give no more trouble 

 than pheasants the feeding is much the same, and the 

 rearing is as interesting. It is hoped that a trial of this 

 method in rearing grouse may eventually lead on to greater 

 efforts by those in a position to give the necessary time 

 to the undertaking, and especially would I commend to 

 the notice of grouse-preservers the advisability of ex- 

 perimenting with grouse-breeding in captivity. Much has 

 been written on the subject of grouse-shooting and the 

 management of grouse-moors, but the subject of the rear- 

 ing of the birds seems to have been almost entirely ignored, 



p 



