THE MOOR 153 



keeper must take into consideration the dryness of the 

 moor and the direction of the wind. He should always 

 be accompanied by at least two assistants to control the 

 fire and to prevent it from extending too far. 



The keeper must always remember that the danger 

 lies not in over-burning but in under-burning. Old 

 heather, whether dry and rank, or, as is usual, very 

 damp underneath, is a plague to any moor, supplying 

 healthy food neither for birds nor sheep. It hardly 

 seems necessary to add that it is also liable to produce 

 many a curse from the tired sportsman, who is either 

 patiently following the dogs or is " finding " his own 

 birds. On no account is the burning to be left to the 

 absolute discretion of the shepherd. 



In regard to heather-burning, it may be added that if 

 the moor is to be chiefly shot over dogs, the heather may 

 be allowed to grow a little longer than in a moor used 

 for driving purposes. I n the former case it is more neces- 

 sary to preserve good cover than in the latter, and there 

 is no doubt that the radical heather-burning practised 

 on a "driving" moor tends to make the birds wilder. 1 



2. The Regulation of the Water-Supply. There is 

 no subject so much neglected by gamekeepers as that 

 of the efficient water-supply of the moor. On the driest 

 moor the keeper hesitates to be seen with anything but 

 a gun, whilst during certain weeks of the year he should 



1 A useful heather burner, sold by MacPherson, Inverness, is now on 

 the market ; it answers admirably, and ensures a great saving of time and 

 trouble compared to the older methods. 



