GROUSING • 37 



the time, as none of our neighbours did extra well, and certain 

 it is that no one can do any harm by giving this a trial. 



Most of the good moors are let on leases, and as soon 

 as one becomes vacant it is at once snapped up, and thus 

 any one renting a place that is yearly in the market can 

 hardly expect to find a large head of game on it. Yet 

 there are numbers of such places let each season, and the 

 continuous change of occupants totally fails to make fresh 

 comers shy. The demand is in fact so great that the 

 renters of this description of moor are almost forced into 

 shutting their eyes while hoping for the best ; and numerous 

 are the stories that are told of bitter disappointment. There 

 are quantities of very moderate shootings in Scotland not 

 really worth two-thirds of the money paid for them, and 

 these are the places the shooting agents do well on ; for 

 with the advent of each season comes the renewal of the 

 letting commission. Not that we wish to write hostilely of 

 the shooting agents, for having had dealings with two of them 

 — Paton and Stephen Grant to wit— it can be testified they 

 are honourable, businesslike people to deal with. There are, 

 howerver, agents who, to put it mildly, lay the paint with no 

 niggard hand on all places put on their books to be let ; and 

 only recently, from one of this sort, we had details sent us 

 for a friend of a very moderate deer forest, and were boldly 

 informed seventeen stags were got in the past season, nine of 

 which were splendid " Royals" ! 



Anyone taking a moor that has been yearly in the market, 

 and liking it well enough to secure a lease, should at once 

 commence to wage war against winged and ground vermin ; 

 both dwell in plenty, and too often in safety, in the North. 

 Until winter comes the latter make but little show, and having 

 passed the first two months of the shooting season on his 

 moor, the lessee will often depart in the belief that for him 

 ground vermin hardly exist. Let him, however, return when 

 the snow is on the ground, and he will be grievously surprised 



