228 THE COMPLETE SHOT 



his best year gave but 9797 grouse. Mr. R. Rimington Wilson 

 killed 2743 birds in the day in 1904, but the season was not 

 perhaps as good as that of 1905, when only 1744 grouse were 

 shot on the best day, when Mr. Rimington Wilson was good 

 enough to inform the author that the season was above the 

 average, and that the direction of the wind makes all the 

 difference. In 1906, the day, chosen months ahead, happened 

 to be one of those heat record-breaking ones that caused the 

 grouse to refuse to fly more than once, and only about 1320 

 grouse were killed on the first day, which, however com- 

 paratively bad there, would be absolutely splendid as times 

 go elsewhere. 



Again, in 1905, Mr. Wynne Corrie had his record season, 

 but his big days were larger in the previous season. In 1904 

 they were 760^ and 781 brace respectively, and in 1905 there 

 were 63 8| brace shot on the best day. This is not as remark- 

 able as the fact that in 1901 there were killed there 3341 brace, 

 before big bags were started; and there were but 2103 brace 

 killed in the year of the record bag. 



The apex of grouse stock having been reached in Yorkshire 

 in 1872, within a decade of the general beginning of driving, it 

 was felt that the way to enormous stocks was discovered, and 

 that these stocks were worth every attention and large capital 

 outlay in the improvement of moorlands, but as a matter of fact 

 it is difficult to find that all the improvement since has done 

 any good to the head of game. If it has, it can only be dis- 

 covered over periods of years, and not by comparing any one 

 year with the results obtained in 1871 and 1872. The period 

 of years is the better test if it can be fairly applied, but results 

 come out differently altogether in accordance with the arbitrary 

 selection of dates to begin and end these periods. 



It has already been mentioned how wonderfully grouse have 

 done in the absence of one of these improvements, namely the 

 removal of sheep on the Ruabon Hills, and sheep are just as 

 plentiful at Askrigg, in Yorkshire, where nevertheless Mr. Vyner 

 has killed on a moor of 2000 acres, in 1894, 2775 grouse; in 

 1897, 2 959 grouse; in 1898 there was a total of 2095 grouse; 



