KEEPERS AND KEEPERING 413 



is graphically described by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson in the 

 Fur and Feather Series. 1 



Occasionally the professional poacher goes alone and boldly 

 carries a gun. This method is common in the extreme north 

 of Scotland, where the daylight is of such long duration that it 

 is almost impossible for the gamekeepers to be always on the 

 watch. It is a well-known fact that in flat, featureless country 

 it is very difficult to detect a man upon the moor, or to hear 

 the sound of a shot. 



All professional poaching might be prevented if the sale of Facilities 



. . for sale of 



game by unauthorised persons were discouraged. Game-deal- poached 

 ing licences are granted far too often to small country trades- C 

 men, who are prepared to act as the receivers of stolen goods. 

 This might be avoided by granting only a limited number of 

 licences in every town, and only granting them to responsible 

 persons. The licensed game-dealer is supposed to ascertain 

 that the vendor had come by his game honestly, but the law in 

 this respect is seldom enforced. 



The occasional poacher is a nuisance, and requires careful The 

 watching, but it is doubtful if his depredations ever materially poacher, 

 affect the stock upon a moor one pair of hoodies, or the mildest 

 attack of disease, will do more to damage the season's prospects 

 than a score of crofters who take an odd Grouse to give a flavour 

 to the broth. 



Though the occasional poacher may not do much harm he 

 must not be encouraged he disturbs the ground, and wounds 

 more than he kills ; too often he is tempted by success to join 

 the ranks of his professional brethren. 



No one can deny some measure of sympathy for the small 

 tenant trying to earn a scanty living on a poor hill farm or 

 croft who finds his stooks of corn in October or November 

 black with Grouse. The crop indeed may be well-nigh worthless, 

 but that makes the temptation all the greater to try and get 

 some benefit out of a disastrous harvest. The landlord should 

 deal with such cases in a broad-minded spirit, his gamekeeper 



1 Far and Feather Series, "The Grouse," pp. 65-72. 



