DISEASES OF GROUSE 115 



Prior to that date it was not unknown in 

 Scotland, but it had not hitherto, in so far 

 as we know, assumed all the alarming pro- 

 portions of a malignant epidemic." While 

 notices of grouse disease, prior to the date 

 just mentioned, are not readily found, and 

 perhaps do not exist, this of course does 

 not conclusively settle the point whether 

 it really prevailed earlier. Older writers 

 certainly make no mention of it, but this 

 may be attributed, not to its non-existence, 

 but to the fact that prior to 1838 or 

 thereabout grouse were rather a negligible 

 matter, receiving not much notice of any 

 kind. There is more probability to be 

 drawn from all that is known, or may be 

 inferred from other established facts, re- 

 garding grouse, that as long as grouse have 

 been grouse, they, like all other animals, 

 have been subject to certain diseases to 

 which they are peculiarly liable. 



Disease in grouse is popularly referred 

 to as " the grouse disease," as if they were 

 subject to only one ailment. This is no 

 more the case with grouse than with any 



