400 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



judged by the paucity of vermin to be found upon his beat, 

 not by the total number he can kill each year. 



During the hatching season, and until the young birds 

 begin to fly, the gamekeeper may continue to watch his growing 

 stock. About this time also he may employ himself upon the 

 building up of Grouse butts and the bushing of wire fences with 

 bunches of heather. In June and early July much can be done 

 to increase the heather area by the destruction of bracken, 

 which on many moors has monopolised the sheltered glens, 

 and is rapidly encroaching on the hill ground. Bracken can 

 always be weakened, and sometimes even exterminated, if 

 cut over twice a year in the early summer when the tender young 

 fronds are beginning to appear above the ground, and many 

 cases are recorded where Grouse ground has been reclaimed 

 from this noxious weed by the energy of a determined keeper 

 aided by a temporary staff of assistants. 



When the young birds begin to fly it becomes necessary 

 for the keeper to use greater caution in his visits to the moor. 

 He should still keep an eye upon his vermin traps, but he 

 should not leave the roads and moorland paths more than is 

 necessary, and he should avoid flushing the young coveys. 



By the end of July he may take stock of his birds with the 

 assistance of his dogs. To ascertain what mortality has occurred 

 since hatching he should count the young birds in every covey, 

 and compare their average number with the average number 

 of eggs which were successfully hatched out. If there appears 

 to be a marked reduction he must try and discover the reason 

 for the loss, whether vermin, climatic conditions, or disease, 

 and if the trouble is avoidable, take measures to prevent a re- 

 currence of the cause in the following season. 



With the shooting season the nature of the gamekeeper's 

 duties become twofold. His first duty is to assist in the destruc- 

 tion of the stock which he has fostered with such tender care, 

 and at the same time he must keep an ever-watchful eye upon 

 his birds with a view to the continuation of the race into future 

 seasons. With the sporting side of the question we are not 



