APPENDIX G 123 



Lanark and Dumfries that wet weather in the first-named county may be represented by liard 

 frost in the last two. The season as a whole was good all over, and justifies the view that a 

 good healthy stock will breed a good healthy stock in spite of bad weather in the breeding 

 season. 



1907—40 Reports. 



Weather. — The season as a whole was cold, wet, and cheerless, with frost and snow in the- 

 early part of the year. April normal. May and June very wet and cold, July fine. The 

 shooting season was wet, and the end of the year wet and cold. 



Heather. — A poor heather year ; growth was moderate, but the bloom was late and poor, 

 and the seed ripened badly. 



Stock. — At the beginning of the year the stock was rather above the average and healthy. 

 The nesting season was bad, and the hatcliing season very bad. Many losses of nests and 

 much drowning of chicks was reported, and in some districts there were many second broods. 



Mortality from " disease " was reported in April and May from many places throughout 

 the district,^ but though general it nowhere assumed the importance of a serious outbreak,, 

 and by August 12th the birds had practically recovered their health. The stocks on the 12th 

 were mostly below the average, and bags were poor with one or two striking exceptions,, 

 especially in Lanarkshire where stocks were good. The stocks at the end of the season 

 rather below the average and quite healthy. 



Remarks. — A cold, wet season, a bad heather year, much mortality in nesting season 

 resulting in small bags, some losses from disease. Here, again, we find losses in the nesting 

 season owing to exceptionally bad weather ; but the results were not so bad as might have 

 been expected, and in some cases the bags were good in spite of adverse circumstances. 

 As a rule it was found that the nesting results were worst on those moors where birds 

 were unhealthy. The reason for the birds being unhealthy cannot be stated with certainty, 

 but was probably connected with delay of the young growth owing to the backward spring. 

 It is to be expected that the bad heather year will have a bad effect on the stock in 1908,, 

 but the fact that the stocks are moderate may go far to save them from serious disaster. 



1908—26 Reports. 



Weather. — The first three months were good, with some wet weather in Kintyre ; the- 

 nesting season was dry and favourable, but a severe frost was reported universally in the 

 third week of April, ranging from 10' to 22° F. according to the district; a fine summer 

 except September, which was wet ; snow at the end of the year. 



Heather. — A good year for growth, but much frosting of heather was reported from 

 Argyllshire ; the bloom was universally excellent, and the seed ripened well throughout. 



Stock. — At the beginning of the year the stock was moderate in numbers and healthy. 

 The nesting and hatching seasons were unequal, good in Argyllshire, not so good in Ayr and 



' Vide map, 1907, Appendix I. 



