Every keeper knows too well the danger that attends the needless disturbance of his beat at this time, especially in a high wind, which may carry the flushed birds hundreds of yards from their home. Instinct and the call of Disturbance
of the
moor undesirable the parents may guide them back; but it is better that they should be kept quiet. It has been noticed that when a young brood are desirable, once upon the wing, in anything like a strong breeze, they appear to be unable to alight with safety; at the end of the flight they dash headlong into the heather, or on to the ground, and frequently come to an untimely end.
With the arrival of August 12th the Grouse comes into the glare of publicity, and there is little relating to his life history between this date and the end of the shooting season that is not known to the average sportsman; Grouse in
the shooting
season. but even so there are variations in their habits in different localities which still remain a mystery, and it may be worth while to mention some of these.
While in the majority of cases the birds appear to be wild in proportion to their growth, this does not seem to be the only factor in the case, for in some districts on the west coast, notably in Skye, Grouse will sit close throughout the shooting season. It has been said that the reason for this is that in the districts in question birds of prey survive in larger numbers than elsewhere, and that the Grouse has not lost its instincts of self-preservation against the attack of its natural enemies. This may be true, but is not altogether convincing, for it is well known that to sit close is no protection against the Eagle, though it may be against the Falcon. The Grouse instinctively knows this, and the appearance of an Eagle, or even a Heron, is the signal for all those on the alert to fly in terror to some distant place of safety.
Grouse feed off and on throughout the day; but it is only in the evening that the crop retains the food which is then required for use during Feeding
habits of
Grouse. the night.
It is often stated that Grouse feed only in the evening, but the observations of the Committee make it quite clear that this is not the case. It may be observed in passing that at midday the Grouse appear to feed less, and towards evening far more than at any other time. Midday is given up to rest, and, in summer, to shelter from the heat of the sun, and the evening devoted to the complete filling of the crop with food for digestion during the night. Colquhoun in "The Moor and the Loch" refers to this habit as follows: "In sultry weather they lie quite still except at feeding time, and not
