120 THE GROUSE 



disposition to disease. But under modern 

 conditions of shooting, especially the 

 practice of grouse driving, which is 

 making such rapid strides, it must now 

 be a very uncommon case, indeed, where 

 too many grouse remain at the conclusion 

 of the season ; and everywhere good 

 management now insists on a rigid weed- 

 ing out of not only all weak and un- 

 healthy birds, but a ruthless reduction of 

 old cocks. On all well-managed moors 

 these are points which are strictly carried 

 out. The theory that grouse disease is 

 made or has become more frequent by 

 the destruction or great reduction of 

 ground and winged vermin is not borne 

 out by the fact that deer forests, where 

 vermin or rapacious animals of all sorts 

 are generally and of set purpose left to 

 follow without restraint their natural 

 habits, have not been immune from 

 grouse disease. 



Another cause to which the grouse 

 malady is frequently attributed is the 

 unsuitability or insufficiency of their food, 



