BLAGK-GAME SHOOTING 
S cientists win have it that black-game can show a better claim 
to be called the “grouse” than the bird so familiar to us all 
under that name. Nor have we to search far back through the 
misty records of the past for evidence on the subject — though 
the locality named (Eltham) in the first mention of the “Grows” 
makes it certain that the bird referred to in this document of the 
early sixteenth century was in truth a Blackcock — ^we need go back no 
further than the days of our grandfathers to find “black grouse” and 
“ red moor fowl ” the accepted terms in the parlance of sport. But 
modern custom has conferred on the most popular of our game- 
birds the exclusive title to be known as “the grouse,” and the rightful 
heir must rest content with a less distinctive name, at least among the 
vulgar. 
This sometimes leads to errors, and should it ever be your fortune to 
correspond with any of the German-speaking race on the subject of 
“ Black game,” you will soon find yourself at cross purposes, for he will 
write to you of their singular size and ferocity in his district, and tell you 
how his favourite hound was slain by a wounded “black-game ” (wild boar). 
Presently you will realize that the Teutonic mind renders black-game 
into “ Schwarzwild,” and indeed “black-game and other beasts of 
prey ” is no uncommon insertion in the anglicized sporting advertisements 
from Austria and Hungary. Should you pursue the subject further, you 
will be somewhat disgusted to find that continental sportsmen think it 
fair play to shoot Blackcocks at the “lek,” when our code would never 
countenance such desecration of the courtship of spring. 
Unfortunately, although in these islands we forbear to take advantage 
of creatures of the wild when their natural cunning is dulled by the master 
influence of all, yet our game laws are not above reproach in other respects, 
at least so far as black-game are concerned, being apparently framed 
only to suit the convenience of those who have taken a moor for the opening 
months of the season, and would have all the shooting they can in their 
short autumn holiday, rather than with any thought of giving fair play 
to the finest of our native game-birds. 
For full six weeks after the law allows them to be shot (August 20) black- 
game are not fit to figure in the game list at all, and this is just the time 
when the vast majority are slaughtered by grouse shooters. For at this 
time of year the old cocks are all skulking in strict seclusion, renewing 
32 
