NOTES AND QUERIES. I2I 
subscribing 1os. per annum, and those whose woods exceeded 
200 acres subscribing at the rate of one halfpenny per acre for 
every acre above 200. In the first year the woodland area 
covered by the Club’s operations was 38,292 acres, the sub- 
cription amounting to £167, 19s. 5d. The number of squirrels 
killed was 4727, and the bonuses paid upon squirrels’ tails was 
477, 6s. 8d. In the next year (1904) the area of the Club’s 
operations was increased by 600 acres, the subscription was 
485, 6s. 5d., the number of squirrels killed was 3988, and 
the bonuses paid amounted to £66, gs. 4d. Last year the 
Club’s operations extended over 46,985 acres, including a 
portion of Inverness-shire; the subscription was again reduced, 
the amount collected was £51, 14s. 3d., the number of 
squirrels killed was 3431, and the bonuses paid amounted to 
4,56, 18s. 4d. 
Continuous systematic effort has apparently had the effect 
of reducing the number of squirrels within the area of the 
Club’s operations, and practically all the woods in the district 
have been patrolled. The foci where trouble might be looked 
for have been controlled, and the numbers have been kept 
down. One or two instances, selected from estates working 
under the Club’s arrangements, may be given as fair instances 
of the effect of the work. On one estate containing 4000 acres 
of woods, the numbers for the last three years were 178, 134, 
107; On another estate of 4000 acres, the numbers for the 
same period were 515, 375, 144; On another of 1220 they 
were 272, 87, 183; on another of tooo they were 57, 66, 
46; on another of 400 they were 120, 186, 71; on another 
of 2000 they were 231, 259, 188; on another of 3370 they 
were 152, 92, 98; and on another of 6920 they were 1208, 
1309, 671. 
If the country were divided into districts, and combined 
action, similar to what has been taken in Ross-shire, adopted 
in each, the prospects of the destruction of squirrels would be 
greatly improved, and an addition would be made to the value 
“of Scots pine woods throughout the country—a thing to be 
hoped for, but hardly likely to be realised under present con- 
ditions. 
A. FRASER, 
Inverness. 
