RED GROUSE. 
279 
RA SORES. 
1ETRA ONI D At. 
RED GROUSE. 
Tetrao Scoticus. 
PLATE LXX. FIGS. I. AND II 
The eggs of the Red Grouse, for depth and richness of 
colouring, are unrivalled by those of any other British 
bird, and are, in consequence, a beautiful ornament to our 
cabinets. The Red Grouse, which has hitherto been met 
with only in the British Islands, breeds on most of the 
high heathy moors of this country, especially those in the 
north of England and the Highlands of Scotland. It is 
abundant, also, on most of the Western Islands, and is 
met with sparingly in Orkney, but has never been found 
in Shetland, though at so short a distance. It begins to 
breed early in April, and makes its nest, when any, in a 
tuft of heather, gathering together a few pieces of heath 
and some dry grass. The eggs are from eight to twelve 
in number, and present many very beautiful and strongly 
contrasted varieties; eggs similar to both the figures of 
the plate are frequently found in the same nest. The 
third figure of the plate will represent well a variety of 
the eggs of this species. 
