SHOOTING THE GROUSE 



bird upon his land, it would undoubtedly be re-stocked 

 from the higher ground, and in the winter months, 

 when mild weather prevails higher up, he is sure to 

 have many more than his share upon his ground. 



The counting and picking up of the dead birds is 

 a subject for serious consideration. I well remember, 

 twenty years ago in Yorkshire, amongst a few of us 

 who met constantly and whose comparative form 

 would have been difficult to handicap, every day's 

 grouse driving might as well have been a valuable 

 sweepstake or a series of matches for ioo/. a side, 

 so keen was the rivalry, the scoring, and the picking 

 up. But I cannot say that it was a desirable state of 

 things. The counting of what you have killed is no 

 doubt necessary, but it might be done on the same 

 principle as I have recommended for partridge driving, 

 that is, keeping a score of the claims without putting 

 them against any names. That which promotes keen- 

 ness is good ; that which provokes jealousy is surely 

 bad. The lines of pegs halfway between each butt, 

 recommended by Sir R. Payne-Gallwey, were first 

 adopted, I believe, upon a suggestion of mine at 

 Broomhead some years ago, and Mr. Wilson has seen 

 no reason to remove them since. To insure bagging 

 all that have been knocked down, as well as in the 

 interests of humanity, there should always be a pro- 



