APPENDIX G 115 



Meteorological Districts 7a and 7b. England, North -West, and North Wales — 

 Cumberland, AVestmoreland, Lancashire, Cheshire, Denbigh, Montgomery. 



Meteorological District 4. England, Midland Counties — Yorkshire (West Elding), 

 Derbyshire. 



Even by making use of the foregoing subdivisions it was found that many districts 

 •contained a very varied assortment of climates, altitudes, etc. Nevertheless the main 

 •climatic tendencies in each district were approximately uniform, and enabled certain broad 

 generalisations to be made. 



Before examining the records of the separate districts it may be pointed out that 

 this department of the Inquiry commenced under favourable auspices in respect that 

 the year 1905 had been singularly free from "Grouse Disease." In spite of the 

 Committee's endeavours to hear of an outbreak, mortality was only reported from one 

 district in Scotland, and then only in a mild form.i In fact 1905 may be regarded as 

 one of the most disease-free years within the memory of the present generation. The 

 stock throughout Scotland, therefore, must have commenced the period under review 

 in a condition of perfect health, and any mortality that occurred in 1906 and the subsequent 

 •two years must have been due to the conditions which prevailed during that period, 

 and could not have been the result of sickness lingering from the previous year. 



Let us now consider what these conditions were. Commencing with the North of 

 Scotland we find : — 



District 0. Scotland, North. 



1906—22 Reports. 



Weather. — In the early months average winter weather inclining to wet and snow ; 

 a fair spring and early summer with a sharp snowstorm in the middle of May ; a dry 

 shooting season ; an open winter with a heavy snowstorm at Christmas. 



Heather. — The young heather gi-ew well, there was little damage by frost, the bloom 

 was good but rather late, except in Easter Eoss where the reports were not so favourable. 



Stock. — At the beginning of the year the stock was above the average in numbers 

 and healthy ; the breeding season was unequal ; in the north and south reports were 

 good, but in East Eoss and Mid Eoss there was destruction of eggs and young by frost, 

 snow, and floods. A few isolated cases of mortality were reported (eleven birds from 

 four Eeport centres, of which seven birds came from Easter Eoss),- but nothing amounting 

 to an outbreak. On August 12th the stock was universally above the average and very 

 healthy ; the bags were excellent, especially in the north, and the stock at the end of 

 the year was well above the average in numbers and quite healthy. 



Remarks. — A first-class season all round, large stocks, large bags, no disease. The 

 snowfall in May apparently did no harm, though birds were sitting at the time. The 



' See map 1906, Appendix I. ^ Ibid. 



