KED GROUSE. 43 



net, it is principally by persons who reside on the moors, or on the borders of them, 

 such as farmers, and a description of persons to be found in Yorkshire and the north 

 of England, who are called hinds, who attend the sheep and cattle of the larger farmer, 

 and dwell at some distance on the moors. These persons, or at least such of them as 

 are inclined to poaching, watch the motions of Grouse towards evening, when the birds 

 are about to take up their abode for the night; and they are already aware of the 

 direction in which they may expect the evening assemblage, from indubitable indications 

 left by the birds on similar previous occasions, which their constant habit of traversing 

 the ground has enabled them to notice; and it may be here observed, that Grouse, like 

 Partridges, have their feeding and their sleeping ground, and if not much molested, will 

 not quit either. Having watched the birds take up their position for the night, they 

 prepare the net, and after they have become still for an hour or two, they approach, 

 and endeavour to cover them. But netting Grouse is necessarily much more incomplete 

 than the same operation performed upon Partridges; for although both Partridges and 

 Grouse huddle themselves together precisely in the same manner on these occasions, yet 

 the nature of the ground occupied by the latter, renders that effective working of the 

 net, which is easily accomplished with Partridges, impossible when applied to Grouse. 

 The situations where these birds are found, and where indeed they can alone exist, are 

 covered with heath, for the most part, which prevents the close contact of the net with 

 the ground, and therefore some of the brood generally escape. The net is dropped (not 

 drawn) over the spot (which has been previously ascertained as nearly as possible) 

 where the birds are resting ; some of them flutter up against it on feeling or perceiving 

 its approach, become entangled in the meshes, and are taken; others make their escape 

 by running amongst the heath till they are out of reach." 



In many parts of the north of England the miners are most determined poachers, 

 but they are much fairer sportsmen than those above mentioned, using, almost invariably, 

 the gun only. The same writer furnishes us with the following account of the proceedings 

 of these people: — "These men commence operations prior to the 12th. of August; Grouse 

 killed by them a week before the season, are buried in the earth, and putrefaction is 

 thus procrastinated. I learned the circumstance from one of the fraternity. Some years 

 since, I visited the extensive shooting ground of Stainmoor, Yorkshire ; and, as on similar 

 previous occasions, after ranging the moors till the intense heat of the day came on, exposed 

 to the unsheltered action of a meridian sun, I seated myself by the side of a rivulet for the 

 purpose of paying my respects to the brandy flask, and swallowing a sandwich. I had 

 not been long in this situation when a man, accompanied by a single dog, approached, 

 and took his seat at the distance of a few vards. There was nothing impudent or 

 disrespectful in his manner, though the long, inferior-looking gun which he carried, and 

 his appearance altogether, were sufficiently intelligible to me, having frequently been 



