CARTING TO MOORGAME. 121 



and other small shore-birds also wheel back, and even re- 

 settle under similar circumstances, but in their case curiosity, 

 sympathy, or simply ignorance appears to be the impelling 

 motive, and not a distinct and intelligible line of deliberate 

 reasoning (albeit based upon a mistaken premise), as is the 

 case with Grouse. It sometimes happens that a Grouse 

 (most often a single bird), on finding that the cart with its 

 human adjuncts have approached nearer than he intended 

 or cares about, will, instead of flying, squat or " scrogg" as 

 it is called, among the heather. Nothing will then induce 

 him to rise, and after circling round the spot, one sees the 

 remarkable sight of a wild November Grouse, in full power 

 of wing, lying motionless (but still apparently fearless) 

 almost at one's feet.* I say fearless, for when he eventually 

 rises, he will do so boldly and with a loud defiant " bec- 

 bec-bec," as though his only feeling was one of annoyance at 

 having been discovered very different from the low and 

 terror-stricken dash with which a wounded bird (which has 

 realized the danger) will spring away from a close point. 



Partridges are often fallen in with on the outskirts of the 

 moor, and if seen, they will usually " cart " ; but as they do 

 not show, preferring to run like rats among the rough grass, 

 one seldom or never troubles them, and I only mention them 

 here as illustrative of their habitual instinct in this respect. 

 Moor Partridge, moreover, never get really wild, as their 

 congeners of the stubbles do, for there is always plenty of 

 cover. The lack of this desideratum in this era of shaving 

 reapers and close cut hedgerows, is one of the chief reasons 

 for Partridge ever becoming wild at all. On the moors, 

 when broken, they will lie to points all through the season. 



Next to the Grouse, our most important game-bird on the 

 Border moors is the Blackcock. One sees them every day in 

 packs. They will not " cart " at all. That is the rule ; 

 but it has its exceptions. Thus one occasionally finds 

 oneself close up to the Grey-hens. But they are not very 

 wild birds ; they are emboldened by being so frequently 

 spared. As this kind of game does not pair, the Grey-hens 



*An old cock Pheasant will sometimes do the same, on a bare 

 stubble or fallow, in hopes of being undiscovered. 



