THE EED GEOUSE. 163 



Merlins and Falcons, and afterwards another kind called 

 Tercells, which he delighted in even in his old age. He 

 caught both Partridges and Muir-fotvl." ^ Mr. Campbell- 

 Swinton of Kimmerghame mentions, in the Men of the Merse,^ 

 that in a diary commenced by George Home of Kimmerg- 

 hame in 1694, he finds the following entry referring to 

 a day in June about the above date : — " To the setting at 

 Kettleshiel, where the dog sett several times ; but it was 

 either an old fowl who rose before the net was ready, or 

 young fowls that were scattered ; so that there was none 

 catched by the net but one old hen ; but a hawk of Cavers 

 took severals, and some were marked down where they sat 

 and were taken." ^ These references show that upwards of 

 two hundred years ago the pursuit of Muir-fowl was, as 

 now, considered to be excellent sport, and was enjoyed by 

 gentlemen in the county. 



In the Old Statistical Account of Scotland, which was 

 written in 1795, Muir-fowl are mentioned in two of the 

 reports on the parishes in Berwickshire. Thus the reporter 

 on Legerwood parish says : " The tracts covered with 

 heath are frequented by Muir-fowl, and the cornfields are 

 haunted by Partridges. During the long-continued and 

 intense severity of the year 1794-95 many of these wild 

 animals perished with cold and hunger, and many in the 

 extreme weakness to which they were reduced became an 

 easy prey to whatever chose to pursue them."* In the 

 account of Abbey St. Bathans parish the writer says : " On 

 the lands are plenty of Muir-fowl, Partridges, and Plover." ^ 



In the early years of the present century, before the 

 days of game preservation. Grouse seem to have been 



1 MS. History of the Homes of Wedderhurn, 1611. " Page 60. 



3 The probability is that Red Grouse are here referred to, although the "old 

 hen " may refer to Black Grouse. 



* Old Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xvi. p. 486. ^ Ibid. vol. xii. p. G6. 



