GROUSING 47 



by driving the birds off it. The first point is one that must 

 ever remain a matter of opinion, but suffice it to say there are 

 plenty of good men by whom a few days under the kite is 

 most thoroughly enjoyed. As to the question of harm to the 

 moor, it may be taken for granted there is nothing in the plea, 

 provided the kite be moderately used, and not more than a few 

 times on each beat, with an interval of fully ten days between 

 the occasions. How often has everyone who has been much 

 in the Highlands seen an eagle sail across a grouse beat, to 

 scatter packs and coveys in all directions in mortal terror. But, 

 nevertheless, that beat, though cleared of birds for the day, will 

 be found stocked again on the morrow. Why, then, should an 

 artificial bird — not so large as the dreaded eagle — have the 

 effect of driving birds entirely off a moor if shown to them 

 but two or three times in a season? 



Absolute silence is the first essential for successful shooting 

 under a kite, for grouse are not so stupid as to fail to com- 

 prehend that men and hawks do not agree, and should they see 

 the kite and the shooting party at the same time, they will not 

 be long in putting two and two together, and off they will go. 

 Indeed, so great is the intelligence of the grouse that we think 

 if a kite were worked daily in one place for but ten days at a 

 stretch, the birds would soon learn the difference between the 

 sham and the real foe, and in a short time would pay no more 

 attention to the spurious one than rooks do to a scarecrow. 

 The smaller the party engaged in this sport the better, and if 

 two guns are out they should not walk wide apart, while the 

 man who is carrying the game should keep well behind ; with 

 more than two guns the sport is generally unsatisfactory. 



The most favourable plan of working the kite is on a hill- 

 side across which the wind is blowing at right angles. Supposing 

 it be coming from right to left, then, when near the top of the 

 right side of the hill, send up the kite and let out line enough 

 to allow it to be carried over the top of the ridge to show on 

 the left side, the whole party meanwhile keeping out of sight and 



