GROUSE THAT LIE AND GROUSE THAT FLY 209 



Scotland as to the best means of shooting a moor for the benefit 

 of its next season's stock. From a conversation the author had 

 in 1905 with Captain Tomasson, who is the most successful of 

 preservers in Scotland by the almost exclusive driving method, 

 the writer gathered that on one or two points Captain 

 Tomasson could criticise some articles that the author had 

 previously written, and do it in a manner to throw more light 

 on the subject, and for this reason he asked the tenant of Hunt- 

 hill if he would write a criticism of those articles, handling them 

 in as severe a manner as possible. The latter very kindly con- 

 sented, and the following letter is the result ; but the ever-present 

 want of space has not permitted more than an outline of his 

 views, which more elaboration would make very much more 

 interesting than this all too short letter is, or could be, from the 

 nature of the case. In the next chapter the author has 

 endeavoured to repeat the substance of the articles already 

 referred to, in order that as much grouse lore as is practicable 

 may be stored in this little work on so many shooting 

 subjects. The articles referred to were entitled "The 

 Difference of Effect in Driving Grouse in England and in 

 Scotland," or some such title, and it was not sought to be 

 proved that driving was bad for Scotland, but merely that 

 whereas driving increased Yorkshire grouse by 800 or more per 

 cent., it has not done anything for Scotland. This is not to 

 prove it bad, but merely to suggest that what has been gained in 

 one way has been lost in another. That partial driving has 

 reduced disease in Scotland is not likely, because we find that it 

 is no more prevalent in Caithness, where there is no driving, 

 than in the Highlands where there is. Besides that, can we expect 

 it to do so when it failed so lamentably in Yorkshire, which was 

 much more "driven" in and before 1872 than Scotland is now, 

 and yet this practice was followed there by an outbreak of 

 disease in 1873 and 1874 that has never been paralleled since? 

 The author's opinion is that bags made in these days truly 

 indicate the stock of grouse; but when, in 1872, there were 

 10,600 grouse killed over dogs by three parties of two 

 each on Glenbuchat, averaging TOO brace a day to each party 

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