118 THE GROUSE 



report must not be anticipated. Among 

 others who have followed similar inquiries 

 into this subject and are entitled to 

 mention are Dr. Farquharson, Dr. Andrew 

 Wilson, lecturer on Zoology and Com- 

 parative Anatomy, Mr. Harvie-Brown, 

 and Mr. Carnegy in his Practical Game 

 Preserving ; but, sooth to say, very diver- 

 gent views of the origin and nature of 

 grouse complaints are held by these 

 writers and the multitude of others who 

 have given forth their empirical opinions 

 with characteristic confidence and ulti- 

 mate confusion. 



Of all the alleged causes of grouse dis- 

 ease which have been advanced, the most 

 frequently stated is, perhaps, over -pre- 

 servation or overstocking. In support of 

 this theory attention is called to the fact 

 that very fatal and extensive outbreaks of 

 disease have sometimes followed hard on 

 seasons of great plenty on moors. There 

 is no denying that on occasions this has 

 occurred, but it has not been clearly 

 established that cause and effect were here 



