MOORGAME IN MID-AUTUMN 245 



over lengthened periods, that opportunity of watching 

 one's game and studying at leisure its habits, manners, 

 and poses. In both these cases, however, the distances 

 are always considerable ; while here, with a cart, one gets 

 into closest touch with creatures to which the human 

 presence is anathema. 



While following this pursuit over a series of years, 

 one meets, of course, with every kind of moorgame ; and 

 the different manner in which the various species regard 

 the stratagem, together with their respective methods of 

 reasoning and gradations of reasoning power, form an 

 interesting study. 



The grouse, which certainly possess the most highly 

 organised mental faculties, have worked out the whole 

 problem. The cart, as stated, they regard as an ordinary 

 implement of farm service, which they are accustomed 

 to see on the moors, collecting" peats or bracken (used 

 locally in place of straw), or passing along the open 

 roads that traverse the fells. It is a further illustration 

 of their acute reasoning capacity that they discriminate 

 between a shepherd with staff and collie, and a solitary 

 sportsman with gun and setter. Instances in proof have 

 come within my observation. After marking grouse 

 down at a distance, and while reconnoitring the ground 

 before advancing, a shepherd has appeared on the 

 scene. Unconscious alike of the presence of another 

 man and of the birds, he passes close by the game with 

 "lish" gait and swinging stride. The grouse recognise 

 him — "It's only the shepherd!" and they crouch low till 

 he and his dog are gone by. But attempt to go and do 

 the like — they are gone ere one's nose is fairly clear of 

 the sky-line. 



The reason which actuates the survivors of a small 



