THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 33 



THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE. 1 



The Final Report of the Committee appointed to inquire 

 into the causes of "Grouse Disease" was issued in August 

 191 1. In some respects this Report presents unusual 

 features. In place of being printed in the form of a Blue 

 Book, the result of the Committee's investigations takes 

 the form of a handsome and copiously illustrated book, 

 dealing exhaustively with the Life History of the Grouse, 

 together with a small companion volume of Appendices 

 in which are to be found the analyses of correspondents' 

 reports, and other tabulated matter of much scientific 

 interest. The whole forms a work of the highest value, not 

 only to the general Ornithologist, but perhaps in a special 

 degree to the student of avian parasitology, who will find 

 this subject as it affects a single host, treated with a fullness 

 probably never before attempted. At the same time, as 

 the maintenance of the economic value of Grouse Shootings 

 was no doubt a leading motive for the original appointment 

 of the Committee, this question, and generally all questions 

 affecting the management of the Grouse and of its food 

 supply, are simply and clearly dealt with from the point of 

 view of the practical Game Preserver, or of the Owner of a 

 Moor. 



The Committee was originally appointed in April 1905. 

 Its investigations were expected to be spread over a period 

 of three years ; and though this time has been somewhat 

 exceeded, the result more than justifies the delay. The 

 Committee has never received any grant whatever out of 

 public funds, the terms of its appointment providing that the 

 whole of its investigations should be carried on at the 

 expense either of members of the Committee or of private 

 subscribers. The investigations have accordingly been 

 greatly hampered throughout by lack of funds ; but the 



1 The Grouse in Health and i?i Disease : being the Final Report of 

 the Committee of Inquiry on Grouse Disease ; 2 vols. London : Smith, 

 Elder & Co., 191 1. 



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