THE WOOD GROUSE OR CAPERCAILZIE. 135 
game. I had no opportunity of handling them, or 
of examining them very minutely, but the general 
view whicli I had of them, at the distance of a few 
feet, did not enable me to distinguish the difference 
between the young males and females. They seemed 
precisely the same at that time both in size and plu- 
mage, although I doubt not the male markings must 
have soon shewn themselves on the young cocks. 
The single surviving bird of those hatched by the 
mother died of an accident, after living in a very 
healthy state for several weeks. Two of those 
hatched by the common hen died of some disease, 
the nature of which is not known, after lingering for 
a considerable time. It follows that there are only 
two young birds remaining. These are both fe- 
males, and when I last heard of them some months 
ago, were in a thriving condition. 
“ The whole progeny were fed at first, and for 
some time, with young ants, — that is, with those 
whitish grain-shaped bodies, which are the larvae and 
crysalids in their cocoons of these industrious crea- 
tures, though commonly called ant’s eggs. At that 
])eriod they were also occasionally supplied with 
some tender grass, cut very short. As soon as they 
had acquired some strength, they began to eat oats 
and pot barley, together with grass and the various 
kinds of moss. They are now fed like the three 
old birds, chiefly on grain and heather tops, with the 
young shoots, and other tender portions of the Scotch 
fir. I am informed that the distinction between the 
