xvi. GROCSE SHOOTIXG (PART I\' INTRODUCTORY' 277 



and that the current nesting season will be a bad one, 

 and the ground will be scantily stocked in consequence. 



Should you notice isolated cases of birds lying 

 dead on the moor, there is no reason for suspicion, as 

 these may have been killed by vermin ; but if you 

 find here and there two or three birds lying dead near 

 > mother, on no account become its tenant, and 

 run the risk of your sport being entirely spoilt by 

 disease. 



Though most grouse moors are hired in the spring, 

 still, if you are unable to take one till just before the 

 season commences, you will, of course, equally have 

 to test it with pointers or setters, otherwise you cannot 

 form any opinion of its sporting value; but in this 

 case your inspection is easy and conclusive, as you will 

 merely have to note the actual number of grouse on 

 the ground, the average of young birds to a brood, and 

 particularly if they are well grown and healthy. Six 

 to seven birds to a brood is a fair average ; but should 

 there be only four or five, and some of these fly 

 4shly, or should you find a good many old birds 

 without broods, there is every reason for declining to 

 be a tenant. 



It is always important you should ascertain the 

 character of the moors that march with the one you 

 propose to hire ; for instance, when they last suffered 

 from disease, how the birds bred in the past two or 

 three years, and what bags are generally made on 

 them. 



