170 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



the writer's ground) there was no evidence to indicate the 

 approach of disease. During - the spring, I had detected no 

 signs of anything serious, at least nothing worse than an 

 old bird or two " found dead," and early in June I examined 

 the ground carefully. Nothing could well appear more 

 favourable. The young broods had hatched out in great 

 numbers, and many could already (on June ist) fly 200 

 yards or more ; the majority, however, were still in various 

 stages of down. A few nests still contained eggs, which 

 I noticed were rather less richly coloured than average 

 grouse eggs ; but nearly all hatched out subsequently, 

 except a few, which were almost colourless. 



In the middle of June I had a favourable report from 

 the keeper, who wrote that he thought "the disease has 

 now quite stopped as I have seen none new dead lately." 

 So matters ran on for a whole month and more. But the 

 line had been passed ; and at the end of July there 

 broke out a disease whose virulence devastated the hills, 

 and in less than a fortnight the stock of grouse was 

 decimated. 



Here is the keeper's report of August 5th : "I am 

 sorry to say the prospects for the Twelfth are very bad 

 indeed. The black ground by all means worst, as that 

 was sure to be when disease comes. Mixed ground is 

 always best off. I was out yesterday with the dogs. I 

 found the young birds dying, great big, good birds. I 

 opened some and it is the real disease — their livers 

 affected." 



The outward symptoms of the disease in this acute 

 form were not easy to recognise when shooting began in 

 August, for the physical condition of the grouse hardly 

 afforded a criterion, and many birds which were undoubtedly 

 affected retained the full plump breast and thighs. The 



