252 EXTRACTS FROM NOTE-BOOKS. CH. XXXV. 



through which the river flows. A certain portion 

 of the heather should be burnt every season, so as 

 to produce a fresh supply of young and tender 

 shoots. On these fresh patches all animals delight 

 to feed. The red -deer comes from the far off 

 corries, where he has lain in quiet, rest, and soli- 

 tude, to graze on the short, sweet plants of the 

 young heather which spring up the first season 

 after the hill has been burnt, and nothing so per- 

 fectly suits the grouse as these patches. Short 

 as the heather is, it is a region of abundance to 

 these birds ; and in rainy weather they take to 

 the bare spots to escape the wet dropping off the 

 higher and older plants. 



Sheep, if allowed to do so, will feed so constantly 

 on the newly burnt heather as entirely to prevent 

 its growing ; and it is therefore necessary to keep 

 them off for a certain time to prevent this evil. It 

 happens frequently that by burning the heather 

 when it is too dry, or owing to some carelessness on 

 the part of the shepherd, the fire gets such power 

 that it cannot be checked when required, and thus 

 much damage is done, miles of hill are laid bare at 

 once, and the advantage of having a constant suc- 

 cession of food coming on is lost. When once the 

 fire becomes thus powerful, nothing stops it ex- 

 cepting heavy rain, or the accident of its burning in 



