152 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



the beginning of last century, Macdonald, in " Grouse Disease," 

 says : "It is now (1883) eighty years since the alarm of 

 * Grouse Disease ' was sounded in this country." l Speedy 

 says : " The first time ' Grouse Disease ' attracted special 

 attention was in 1838. Prior to that date it was not unknown 

 in Scotland; but it had not assumed the proportions of 

 a malignant epidemic. Even in 1838 and for several years 

 afterwards, it was much milder in its results than it has 

 latterly become. In 1867 it seems to have developed a most 

 destructive form, attracting very general attention. Prior to 

 that it was comparatively local, decimating the birds in 

 certain districts, and leaving other districts untouched." 2 

 Howard Saunders says : "As long ago as 1815 a severe 

 outbreak in the Reay country, Sutherland, was on record." 3 

 Mr Woodruff e Peacock in a pamphlet on " Grouse Disease " 

 writes : " Old Moor Keepers have told me that their elders 

 knew it as a slight and local trouble quite 50 years before 

 1847," i.e., in 1797. 4 And finally, in the MS. Records of 

 Bolton Abbey, it is specifically mentioned as a " fatal disorder " 

 in 1882 ; though as early as 1809 and 1811 there are records 

 of "no shooting " accountable in all probability to disease. 



It is therefore probably not correct to say that the first 

 predisposing cause of " Grouse Disease " was protection leading 

 to overstocking. The question is really of academic interest, 

 since the artificial conditions are now firmly established. 



It might be profitable to consider the other theories which 

 have been put forward as to the predisposing causes of disease. 



Such theories are numerous, and every one of them has at 

 one time or another been promoted to the rank of " the real 

 cause," the acting and primary cause, that is to say, of so-called 

 " Grouse Disease." 



The subject has long held the attention of many ob- 

 servers. Macdonald, Macpherson, Stuart - Wortley, Adams, 



1 Macdonald, "Grouse Disease," p. 112. 



2 "Sport in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland," p. 184. 



3 " Zoologist," 1887, p. 302. 



4 Rev. E. A. Woodruffe Peacock, " Grouse Disease," p. 12. 



