POLTALLOCH 3 



ing army annually northward. But the wholesale 

 system of letting sporting rights is of comparatively 

 recent introduction, and great changes have come 

 about even within my own experience of little 

 more than a generation. The moor where, in 

 1872, four guns, of whom I was one, killed over 

 1500 brace of grouse between the 12th and 24th 

 of August in ten " lawful days," was then let with 

 a most commodious lodge and a nice stretch of 

 fishing for 600 a year. Mr. Aflalo, in his work 

 on the cost of sport, still adheres to the rough 

 estimate of 1 for each brace of grouse as the 

 probable cost of sporting rights, including lodge 

 accommodation ; but although I hesitate to differ 

 from so high an authority, I should prefer to fix 

 the figure at something much nearer a pound a 

 bird, and good fishing rents have certainly more 

 than doubled in amount in the last twenty years. 

 It is, however, only fair to proprietors to admit 

 that the requirements of tenants in respect of 

 house accommodation, furniture, and sanitary 

 arrangements have greatly increased, and that 

 a very large proportion of the apparent increase 

 of rent represents interest on outlay necessitated 

 by such demands. Formerly the annual visit 

 to the Highlands was looked upon as a sort of 

 picnic or campaign, of which "roughing it" was 

 one of the pleasures ; and visitors cheerfully sub- 

 mitted to be doubled up in attics and garrets at 

 which the very servants would turn up their noses 



