THE GROUSE. 143 



them, the grouse had a happy life three hundred 

 and sixty four days in the year. 



Woodcock, though not so numerous as 

 in Ireland, often give good sport. On the 

 evening of the fourth day's frost we once had 

 fifty-eight on the hall table, besides other 

 game, and we knew a man fire 150 shots at 

 them on another occasion in four days. 



But it is the presence of grouse on the 

 ground which will regulate the amount of 

 shooting rental which an estate will command ; 

 and we repeat, if a man has heather and has 

 not grouse on his land it is his own faidt. 



