Page:GrouseinHealthVol1.djvu/41

Rh During the nesting season the hen leaves her nest for a short time in the morning and evening to feed and drink, and her presence in any particular part of a moor maybe known by the large "docker" droppings peculiar to a sitting bird.

During the period of sitting the Grouse seems to be able to intermit its natural odour, and thus escape the notice of dogs and vermin. This point is noted by St John in "Wild Sports of the Highlands" when he states: "It is a curious fact, but one which I have often observed, that dogs scent while frequently pass close to the nests of Grouse, Partridges and other game without scenting the hen bird as she sits on her eggs." Probably the cause of the loss of scent is that when the bird is sitting still the air does not get amongst the feathers and so the scent is retained. The same remark probably accounts for the fact that at midday, when the birds are resting, they are very difficult to find with dogs.

The young Grouse are hatched after an incubation of twenty-three to twenty-four days, and leave the nest soon after they are freed from the shell. They are anxiously guarded by the parents, the hen being more attached to them than the cock, who, when they are disturbed, is the first to fly from danger, though it may be only for a short distance. The hen, on the other hand, will risk any danger rather than leave her brood — be it only a single chicken or two. Often, too, like the Partridge and many other birds, she will feign a broken wing and flutter over the heather, apparently in a terribly damaged condition, until she has lured the intruder away from her brood. This fluttering action of the old bird should always be taken as a warning that the brood is young, that the squatting chicks are probably invisible, and that the danger of treading on them is great. It is most inadvisable to allow people who have flushed a cock or hen to walk about to see the size of a brood.

It is at this stage that the weather conditions become important, for the young chicks are liable to many dangers. It is true that they do not suffer from the cold, drizzly, sunless weather which destroys so many coveys of young Partridges, they are too hardy for that; but heavy snow, hail, conditions or rain often takes its toll and leaves little trace behind beyond the fact that the coveys are found to be reduced in numbers when they come to the gun. Probably the half-grown chick runs more risk from weather