452 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



for the gamekeeper who permits it. The cornfields to which the Grouse 

 resort, and the hours at which they feed, are perfectly well known, and it 

 is the duty of the gamekeeper to be constantly on the spot. 



The subject of poaching cannot be considered com23lete without some reference 

 to the pastime of " Grouse - becking " as practised in the north of England. 

 Becking has already been mentioned in another part of the Report,^ and the 

 manner in which this habit of the bird has been utilised by poachers is graphically 

 described by the Rev. H. A. MacjDherson in the Fur and Feather Series.- 



Occasionally the professional poacher goes alone and boldly carries a gun. 

 This method is common in the extreme north of Scotland, where the day- 

 light is of such long duration that it is almost impossible for the gamekeepers 

 to be always on the watch. It is a well-known fact that in flat, featureless 

 country it is very difficult to detect a man upon the moor, or to hear the 

 sound of a shot. 



All professional poaching might be prevented if the sale of game by 

 unauthorised persons were discouraged. Game - dealing licences are granted 

 Facilities ^''^^ ^^^ often to small country tradesmen, who are prepared to act 

 poached"^ as the receivers of stolen goods. This might be avoided by granting 

 Grouse. Qjjjy ^ limited number of licences in every town, and only granting 

 them to responsible persons. The licensed game-dealer is supposed to 

 ascertain that the vendor had come by his game honestly, but the law in 

 this respect is seldom enforced. 



The occasional poacher is a nuisance, and requires careful watching, but 



it is doubtful if his depredations ever materially affect the stock upon a 



moor — one pair of hoodies, or the mildest attack of disease, will do 



The 



occasional more to damage the season's prospects than a score of crofters who 

 take an odd Grouse to give a flavour to the broth. 



Though the occasional poacher may not do much harm he must not be 

 encouraged, he disturbs the ground, and wounds more than he kills ; too 

 often he is tempted by success to join the ranks of his professional brethren. 



No one can deny some measure of sympathy for the small tenant trying 

 to earn a scanty living on a poor hill farm or croft, who finds his stooks 

 of corn in October or November black with Grouse. The crop may be 

 well - nigh worthless, but that makes the temptation all the greater to try 



' Chap. ii. p. 21. 



' Fur and Feather Series, "The Grouse," pp. 65-72. 



