red-tinged green flowers are in terminal clusters on an erect stem, and are seen from spring to autumn. The plant grows in dry pastures, and on open heaths. The seeds are greedily eaten.
Juncus squarrosus, Heath Rush, a small rush about a foot high, growing in drier situations than most rushes. The flower and seed-heads are very freely eaten.
Luzula campestris, Field Wood Rush, a small rush with soft, flat, grass-like leaves, fringed with silky hairs. It grows in dry places.
The flower and seed-heads are eaten. The following additional list of plants, upon which Grouse are said to feed, is given in a pamphlet on "The Improvement of Grouse Moors," by the Rev. E. A. Woodruffe Peacock, who has examined the contents of many crops and gizzards of the Grouse.
Potentilla tormentilla, Tormentil.
Trifolium minus, Suckling Clover.
Galium saxatile, Heath Bed-straw.
Pedicularis palustris, Marsh Lousewort.
Pedicularis sylvatica, Heath Lousewort.
The seeds of the following plants are greedily eaten, and are most useful as late autumn and winter food: —
Alopecurus myosuriodes. Mouse-tail Grass.
Molinea cærulea, Purple Melio Grass.
Atriplex patula, Common Orache.
Cerastium triviale, Chickweeds and other moor cerastia.
Polyganum avicilare, and P. persicaria, Persicaria, and Knot Grasses of all species. The flower-heads are also eaten.
Viola lutea, Yellow Violet.
Pteris aquilina, Bracken Fern.
In their season, too, Grouse are very fond of capsules of the moor mosses, such as the Great Golden Maidenhair Moss (Polytrichum commune), and the smaller fungi.
For the purpose of reference the following plates and detailed descriptions are given of some of the moor plants most commonly confused on account of the variety of names by which they are known.
