AUG. GROUSE -SHOOTINGS AND GROUSE. 277 



Thousands of grouse are killed in this manner for 

 the London and other markets. 



This year, 1848, on the very first day of the 

 shooting, I happened to be in a poulterer's shop in 

 a large town in Northumberland, when a servant 

 came in to buy a brace or two of "well-kept grouse, 

 fit for immediate use" for his master : and a brace 

 was instantly handed to him from amongst a 

 great number, which looked as if they had been 

 killed a week or ten days ; at any rate they were 

 nearly putrid, and according to my taste fit only 

 to be flung away. If this system commences so 

 long before the birds are legally saleable, we may 

 easily imagine what an immense number of grouse 

 are illegally destroyed during the whole season, 

 in spite of all the expenses incurred to preserve 

 them. 



In my opinion this wholesale system of poaching 

 might easily be put a stop to by the proprietors of 

 the land, who, by stringent agreements with their 

 sheep-tenants and cotters, might prevent all tres- 

 passing on the hills, much more easily than the 

 tenants of shootings can do; and, really, considering 

 the great profit in many ways that this bird is to 

 the Highland landowners, it seems both their in- 

 terest and duty to protect and assist sportsmen in 

 every possible manner in preserving the game : 



