io LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



less of great service on even the English moors, for 

 previous to a persistent war against hawks and 

 vermin and the practice of driving, grouse were not 

 half so numerous, and hence could not in those days 

 so readily communicate their alarm to one another on 

 being disturbed by shooters as is now the case.* 



The result of so many birds on smooth easily 

 traversed ground is that they, so to say, keep touch 

 of one another, and run together and rise in packs, 

 and, as they career along, gather up into their ranks 

 other birds that would not have risen unless they had 

 been alarmed by the rush of scores of wings above 

 them. 



With the introduction of breechloading guns such 

 rapid firing became possible that I have no doubt 

 this is one of the reasons why on English moors the 

 grouse, with hereditary instinct, have learnt to dread 

 the sound of a gun, more than they did in the days 

 of muzzle-loaders ; as it is undoubtedly a fact that a 

 few shots on a level moor will now put every bird on 

 the alert that is within reach of the sound of firing. 



As the grouse, from the increased popularity of 

 shooting on the moors, arid the frequent banging of 

 guns, became year by year wilder and less negotiable 

 to dogs, * driving ' was resorted to, at first by the 



* I possess a letter written by one shooter to another in 1835. It 

 runs : ' I took a stroll over my moor ground yesterday. I scarce 

 expect much sport, for I counted in a short time no less than a 

 dozen hawks, several of which were falcons, and four great cats 

 basking in the sun on a stone wall.' 



