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62 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
GUOUSE.
Latin — Lagopus Scotictcs. Gaelic — Coileach-ricculh, Coileachfruoich,
Eiin-ftaoich (mas.), Cenrc-riuidli, Cearc-jhraoich (fern.)
Welsh — Ceiliog Mynydd, Jdr fynydd.
The grouse is now the bird ^^ar excellence of the Highlands,
so much so indeed that the first inquiry about the value of a
Highland estate is the number of gi-ouse that can be annually
shot on it. Owing to the almost total extermination of all hawks,
hooded crows, foxes, pole-cats, etc., and all such so-called vermin,
on gi-ouse-moors, thg.t prey uj:)on the grouse or their eggs, and to
the great care and protection given these birds, they have multi-
plied to sucli an extent, that in this, as in all other similar cases,
dire disease has been the result. On this point Grey says— " The
jealous care with which this beautiful bird is protected appears of
late years to have materially affected the well-being of the species.
I cannot withhold expressing a fear that the Red Grouse of Scotland,
if not soon left to its own resources, may ultimately become
a victim to over-protection. The great changes that have taken
place within the last thirty years in the management of moorland
tracks, and the excessive rents now derived from such properties,
have induced both land-owners and lessees to clear the ground of
all animals that would naturally prey upon those birds which are
not strong enough to protect themselves ; hence, sickly broods of
grouse perpetuate other broods that year by year degenerate until
disease ensues, and in some instances almost depopulates an entire
district. There can be no doubt that this unwarrantable destruction
of hawks and buzzards atlects adversely the condition of the
birds with which our Scottish mountains are stocked—the number
of wounded birds alone which survive the unprecedented annual
slaughter, through which the Red Grouse is now obliged to pass,
being an argument sufficient to show that such merciful agents are
wanted to pi'event the spread of enfeebled life." In olden times
gi'ouse shoot'ng was a favourite sport, so we thercfoi-e tind the
grouse very often mentioned in old songs, under many poetical
names, such as— Eun-ruadh nan ciar-mhon'—red bird of the grey
hills ; Coileach ruadh an dranndan—the crowing red eock ; An
coileach is moiche a ghoii'eadh 's a bhruaich— the cock that earliest
crows on the brae ; Eun ruadh nan sgiath caol— red bird of the
narrow wing. In a very old song, to a hunter on the hills of
Athole, we have :
'S trie a shiubh'l thu mon' Adholl
Ri la ceathach, fliuch, fuar.