114 APPENDIX G 



credit ou the powers of observation of the correspondents who drew them up, but the work 

 of abstracting and analysing the material has proved long and laborious, and it is to be 

 feared that in some respects the results may not appear conclusive. Perhaps more definite 

 results might have been obtained had the Eeports been spread over a longer period, but it is 

 reasonable to suppose that as a matter of fact the direct effect of any one natural agency is 

 incapable of exact definition owing to the impossibility of eliminating the various other 

 natural agencies which form factors in the case. Thus it might conceivably happen that 

 -a fine dry breeding season, which is favourable to the hatching and growth of the young chicks, 

 mi"ht also be favourable to the development of one or other of tlie parasites which cause 

 their destruction. The frost, snow, and rain which brings privation to the nesting hen 

 and hardship to the growing brood may also serve to purify the ground of many a harmful 

 taint. Eecorded eflects of different natural conditions are often unexpected, and still 

 more often quite inconclusive as a guide to the conditions which make for the welfare 

 of the Grouse. In such cases we must be satisfied with negative evidence, and in face 

 of some of the beliefs which have been universally accepted in the past, even negative 

 evidence and inconclusive results are not without their value. Hitherto, it has quite 

 naturally been assumed that bad weather in the breeding season is universally destructive 

 to the young stock, and must necessarily mean a bad shooting season, yet from the detailed 

 reports now received it is surprising to find the extent to which this hardy bird may 

 rise superior to mere climatic discomfort. Conversely an apparently perfect breeding 

 season is sometimes followed by an unexpected shortage of young birds in August. The 

 reason for these unexpected results must remain a subject for speculation in each case, for 

 in each case the combination of natural conditions will be different, but at least the study 

 will be useful if it checks the tendency to indulge in generalisations founded upon reason 

 rather than observation. 



It became evident at an early stage of the Inquiry that no Eeports could be of 

 value for the purpose of striking an average for the year unless they dealt with a similar 

 set of conditions ; it was therefore decided to divide the whole Grouse-producing area 

 into a series of districts, each having common characteristics in respect of latitude, rainfall, 

 altitude, etc., and then, by tracing the history of the Grouse stock in each district from 

 one year to another, to endeavour to find a solution to some of the problems which are 

 enumerated at the beginning of this chapter. 



The Districts adopted for the purpose were those used by the British Meteorological 

 Committee, and embraced the following geographical areas : — 



Meteorological District 0. Scotland, North — Caithness, Sutherland, Eoss, Cromarty. 



Inverness. 

 Meteorological District 1. Scotland, East (Northern Half) — Moray, Banff, Aberdeen, 



Kincardine, Forfar, Berth and Fife. 

 Meteorological District 1. Scotland, East (Southern Half) — The Lothians, Berwick, 



Peebles, Selkirk and Eoxburgh. 

 Meteorological District 6. Scotland, West — Argyll, Bute and Arran, Stirling, Dumbarton, 



Eenfrew, Lanark, Ayr, Wigtown, Kirkcudbright and Dumfries. 

 Meteorological District 2a. England, North - East — Northumberland, Durham and 

 Yorkshire (North Biding). 



