398 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



by removing the eggs from Partridges' nests and substituting 

 for them other eggs that have been almost hatched under a 

 barndoor hen. The results in many places have been most 

 successful in spite of the disturbance caused by searching for 

 the nests and transferring the eggs. 1 



When the keeper has been trained in accordance with 

 conventional doctrines his knowledge of the moor during the 

 nesting season is often very incomplete. He conscientiously 

 marks down some half dozen nests on the edge of the moor, 

 and from these he judges the prospects of the whole ground. 

 If the nests under his observation are flooded out by heavy rain, 

 or destroyed by frost, he reports that the season will be a poor 

 one, whereas if they hatch out successfully his hopes run high, 

 for in his ignorance he does not take into account the distant 

 beat which has been harried by vermin, or the waterless waste 

 in the centre of the moor, where no wise Grouse will select its 

 breeding ground. 



It must not be thought that the sole object of watching the 

 stock during the nesting season is to form an estimate of the 

 shooting prospects, though, as will be shown later, an early 

 knowledge on this point is of primary importance in regulating 

 the stock. The foregoing remaiks are intended merely to 

 emphasise how closely a keeper may keep in touch with his 

 duties without unduly disturbing his ground. In the per- 

 formance of these duties many practical benefits result. The 

 observant keeper will first of all note which areas are most 

 favoured by nesting birds, and will try to discover what are 

 the particular conditions which may be profitably introduced 

 in the less favoured areas. Some of the favourable conditions 

 may arise from the configuration of the country, a sunny ex- 

 posure, good natural drainage, shelter from the coldest winds, 

 etc. ; but many may be reproduced by artificial means. Natural 

 drainage may be to some extent replaced by carefully con- 

 . structed artificial drains, the patent dew-pan may be substituted 



1 For a discussion of the " Stetch worth " and other methods of Partridge preserving 

 see Teasdale-Buckell, "The Complete Shot," pp. 246-256. 



