The Red Grouse 59 
as if with reproach. The cock will sometimes do the same, or both parents will resort 
to demonstrations by flopping about and pretending to be wounded. 
As the season advances young Grouse soon become strong on the wing, and 
accompany the parents on long flights. If the weather is stormy, it is not unusual to 
find considerable packs as early as the ist of August. Grouse shooting commences on 
August 1 2th, and lasts until December ioth. During this time immense bags of Grouse 
are shot in England, Scotland, and parts of Wales, the great majority now being killed by 
driving. Driving, which is certainly most beneficial, has almost killed "dogging" for 
game, because it renders the birds, especially on high or open moors, difficult to approach ; 
yet this sport may still be enjoyed on many northern moors, especially in Sutherland, 
Caithness, Skye, Orkney, and the Hebrides, where the birds sit well until the end of the 
season. In Ireland, too, Grouse will generally sit to dogs until December. As a matter 
of fact, Grouse are wilder in September than at any other season, and if the season is 
stormy they assemble in great packs, which are usually unapproachable. 
During wet weather Grouse have a great dislike of getting wet on the under parts 
and tail. At such times they resort to exposed situations, and look very curious trotting 
about with their tails raised in the air. With fine frosty weather in October, Grouse 
become much tamer and sit about in pairs or in small parties. At this season a favourite 
sport in the border counties is "carting" to Grouse, which has been well described by 
Mr. Abel Chapman in his interesting book, Bird Life of the Borders (pp. 1 10-124). 
The literature of Grouse shooting is now so voluminous that little need be said, 
beyond referring the reader to the many excellent books on the subject. Huge bags 
have been secured, both by parties and individuals anxious to secure records. No one 
perhaps will take exception to an individual gunner of exceptional skill killing a great 
number of birds on one particular occasion, if it is merely to see what can be done on 
a certain moor ; but the general practice of parties shooting only once or twice in the 
whole season with a ridiculous number of guns and two loaders apiece, for the purpose 
of creating records, is much to be deprecated, because it savours of a certain vulgarity 
inimical to true sport. Some men like to see their names in the papers, and the big 
bag they and their party have made, but do they really enjoy it as much as the days 
of 70 to 100 brace, repeated several times in the season, in company with a few 
chosen friends. I think not. I have taken part in making bags of 200 and 300 brace 
of Grouse ; some I have greatly enjoyed, and some not. It all depends on the way 
it is done. I shall always remember the best day's Grouse shooting I ever had. It 
was at Syre in Sutherlandshire, which my uncle, George Stibbard, rented for many 
years. The date was October ist, and with four pointers I got 40^ brace of Grouse, 
nearly all old cocks. The birds were fairly wild, but scattered in twos and threes on 
a fine day, and shooting with a full choke and No. 4 shot, I had hardly an easy shot 
the whole day. A cock Grouse killed at this season is worth a dozen in August. 
Grouse and blackgame are poached in a variety of ways. In Cumberland fine nets 
are hung above the walls, and the birds taken in flight. In Scotland many are snared 
and a few caught by hand on the stooks, whilst in Caithness I know of certain moors 
which have been nearly ruined by crofters and farmers shooting Grouse about the stacks 
and farmyard in winter with the .22 rifle and silent smokeless cartridges. In the North, 
