170 THE KEEPERS BOOK 



not the chance of making a meal off any sheep that may 

 have died, and so the carcases are left to rot. Not only 

 are the watercourses contaminated (courses which may 

 be bringing water to the farms), but in wet districts great 

 areas of the moor may be fed with decaying matter, to 

 the detriment of the sheep farm, and, what is more im- 

 portant for us, to the grouse. The keeper should there- 

 fore impress upon the farmer the danger that threatens 

 his stock by any neglect in removing this dead material. 

 Shepherds as a rule, will laugh at this warning, partly 

 from ignorance, but chiefly because a belief in it will 

 give considerable trouble ; but they ought to be made 

 to meet the wishes of master and keeper on the subject. 

 Keepers and shepherds should be encouraged to carry 

 off all dead birds and burn them. The yearly present 

 to the shepherd will be a reminder. A clause in the 

 lease should be inserted compelling farmers to bury 

 every dead sheep not less than 2 ft. under ground, 

 and care should be taken that the grave be some 

 distance from a watercourse. A penalty in a lease 

 is a useful thing to make the tenant observe this 

 stipulation. 



12. The careful Bushing of Wire Fences ', and the 

 Placing of Metal Discs on any Telegraph Wires that 

 may be near to the Moor. The great mortality that often 

 occurs from birds being caught in their flight by wire 

 fences or telegraph wires is known to every keeper, and 

 yet the means to counteract these evils are not consist- 

 ently carried out. All wire fences that are likely to be 



