CHAPTER I 



IN PRAISE OF THE GROUSE 



IT is hardly too much to say that the Red Grouse 

 enjoys a unique position among the members of the 

 feathered community. Certainly no other bird exacts 

 a similar amount of homage from its admirers, or 

 affords as large a share of enjoyment to sportsmen. 

 In these days of increasing taxation, it would go hard 

 with many of us Highland lairds if we had no grouse 

 moors from which to draw the rates which go to 

 support school boards and other luxuries exacted by 

 the oppressive democracy. Scotland is pre-eminently 

 the home of this splendid bird a fact to which she 

 owes a very large portion of her material prosperity. 

 It was a happy hour when the Sassenach discovered 

 the pleasure to be gained from renting a Northern 

 grouse moor. 



Until then the bird had existed only on sufferance, 

 persecuted by many enemies and little cared for by 

 anyone. It is true that its value as food was always 



