The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-16 00:00:00

THE MOORS AND FORESTS.

PEMISHIRE.—The bustle of the grouse-shooting
season may now be said to be over in Perthshire for 1867.
The weather during the put week was altogether un-
favourable for shooting, in consequence of heavy thunder-
showers falling on the hills almost daily, and the grouse
on mostly all the moors are now wild and packing. In
lllair-Atbole and other districts of the county, where
grouse were but little affected with disease, the sport has
been nearly equal to the average of seasons ; and as sports-
men generally have already killed the number they are
restricted to by their agreements, they have left the moors
for the season. The two first days Mr. John C. Hilyard
was out on the Corriemuck-loch moors he succeeded
in bagging 15 brace of grouse, two brace of black
game, ten head of bares, one woodcock, and one
raven. Lord Cairns, at Gleam:midi, only shot
grouse two or three days, and has recently been killing
large numbers of mountain bares. In the Crieff district
there have not been 100 brace of grouse shot this season
on a range of upwards of 150,000 acres of moorland in
consequence of the ea ircity of grouse, while last year
Sir Hew Campbell shot to his own gun in the course of a
few days upwards of 700 head of grouse at Monzio. We
have heard of only • few instances of partridge shooting
where from 10 to 15 brace of birds were bagged by each
gun per day. It appears that as a general rule
the birds are abundant but very small in size, and many
coveys have suffered to a considerable extent from the
late hailstones and heavy rains. The accounts from
the forests are meagre, and apparently deeretallcing
will be limited this year in Perthshire, owing
to so many sportsmen having left for the South
much earlier than usual. Lord Glenorchy shot on
Drummond-hill, Breadalbane, on Thursday, three
stags in good condition, which weighed from 13 stone to
16 stone each. In the forests of Glenertney and Turlem,
which belong to the Right Hon. Lord Willoughby d'Eresby,
deer are literally swarming, but on account of none of the
extensive grounds being let there will be no stalking this
season. Reports which have reached us within the last few
days show that the distemper still lingers among grouse in
many moors, and both old and young birds are
victims to the malady daily. The mortality has been so
extensive that on souse of the beat moors in the central
district of the county not a single live bird can now be
seen. Gamekeepers and others now recommend in every
instance where grouse are found dead to bury at once the
birds, which, it is expected, will tend in a great measure
to prevent the disease from spreading.
11.erresmins..—Sportsmen are enjoying splendid sport
in the forests, the fine weather contributing greatly to
their comfort. In the Altanour forest, the Hon. George
Skene Duff has had to his own rifle no less than $7
stags in eight days. On the 26th ult., the honourable
I gentleman brought down a pair of stags, one weighing
14 stone and the other 13 stone 81b. On the 28th, two
stags, one of which weighed 15 stone Sib., fell to his
ride. On the 30th, he had three stags, one weighing
14 stone 21b., and the other, 13 stone 121 b. each. On
the 2nd inst., he killed a stag of 14 stone 111 b. On
the 3rd inst., he had sport such as is seldom enjoyed,
having, in the course of an hour and a half, brought
down no less than six fine stags, one of them • royal
sag, and another with 11 fine antlers. Two of these
stags weighed 16 stone 111). each, and the others teepee.
tively 18 stone 21b., 14 stone 91b., 13 stone 21b., and
13 stone. On tbo 4th, the hon. gentleman brought down
two stags, one weighing 16 stone Ilb., and the other 15
atone 81b. On the sth, there fell to his rifle a stag weigh-
ing 12 stone 21b. ; and on the 6th, a stag of 15 stone. In
the Glenfiddoch forest, on Tuesday last, the Duke of Rich-
timed brought down a fine stag ; and on Wednesday he
also shot a good stag. In Balmacaan forest, on Tuesday
last, the Marquis of Allan shot a fine stag. On Thurs-
day, the Earl of Seafield shot a stag with 11 points,
same
weighing 16 stone ; and on the me day,
Reidhnven brought down a splendid fallow buck. On Fri-
day last, the Earl of Seafield and party had a drive in the
Shenglio woods, and shot 10 stags, two of which weighed
19 stone 41b. each, and another 17 stone 21b. The average
weight of the 10 was 15 stone, and several of them had
splendid heads.—BanffsAire Journal.

Trouting appears to be particularly good on the
Perthshire streams awl lakes this season. A local paper
states that at Locheurnhead, the other day, Mr. Plumb, an
American gentleman„ and three compansons, killed 800
trout in about ten Lours—more than one every three
minutes to each rod, and a total of 225 fish to each of the
four anglers.

CITY DINNERS. —There is a talk of a proposal
to form a club, or something of the sort, and if it can be
done, and well done, it may be attended with incalculable
benefits. A suitable place, • small working committee of
good business men, • well-paid manager, armed with con-
siderable powers, and a restricted bill of fare, are, per-
haps, the chief emends/. to success. To start such a thing
is easy enough. The difficulty is to keep it going. The
Whittington Club began in the City with splendid pro-
spects, but it soon migrated, and has not since returned.
There are club-houses in Birmingham, Manchester,
Glasgow, Leeds, and Bristol, where bank clerks dine
peaceably together on good, wholesome fare, and the ave-
rage price of a dinner from the joint, enough for moderate
appetites, and the quality of the best, is about eighteen-
pence. But at those clubs they have not yet, so far as we
know, commenced the spoiling of their schemes by the
study of luxurious living ; they are not so profoundly
affected with the march of improvement as the Londoners,
and are therefore better in health and less in debt. Bet-
ter than any club would be • spirited proprietary dining-
room, with a limited bill of fare comprising just such
viands ss are seen on the tables of middle-class house-
keepers, everything of the best, cleanly served, and with
a few rules to prevent the conversion of a repeat that must
be eaten in somewhat of • hurry, into • feast after the
manner of the ancients.—City Prem.

VALUABLE Csrrus.—An enterprising American
has imported into this country two thoroughbred bulls and
eight thoroughbred heifen, yearlings. They were con-
veyed across the Atlantic from New York to Liverpool,
but, on account of the law respecting the tinderpest,
the animals were tnuishipped on board a steamer and
conveyed to Southampton, which is the only cattle quanta.
tine port in England. The beasts were landed at South-
ampton docks last week, and are placed in a abed on the
mouth quay of the closed dock, the key of the shed being
in the exclusive custody of the custom-house authori-
ties. A fanning man bas been eogaged from
Eton to attend upon and feed the animals.
700 guineas has been offered for one of the bulls, but the
lowest selling price is 1,000 guineas; 800 guineas is the re-
served price for one of the heifers. Twelve years ago the
paternal ancestor of these animals was shipped at S' oath.
ampton for America, having been purchased for 1,000
guineas by an American for bleeding purposes. The beasts
in the Southampton Docks belong to the eighth genera-
tion from the patriarch above alluded to. They are very
beautiful 'oolong creatures. They came from • monster
farm in the United States. They are of the Durham breed,
and are descendants from Lord Ducie's stock.

DEATH UNDER DHLOROPORNI.—The Liverpool
coroner (Mr. Clarke Aapinall) investigated a case of this
nature on Saturday. A lad of fifteen, named Eves,
about two years ago fell into the hold of a ship and
fractured his skull and knee joint. He was five months
in the Southern Hospital, and was then discharged, the
fracture having closed and healed, and though his leg was
bent he woo able to walk with the aid of • wooden leg. A
Liverpool medical man told him that by a peculiar opera-
tion the leg could be straightened, and the lad consented
to have it performed. He entered the Southern Hospital
for the purpose, and the operation was performed on
WednesdaT. Dr. Nottingham operated, and Mr. Trub-
shaw administered chloroform to the patient. All went
on apparently well, and the operation was over, when the
pule suddenly ceased to beat, and though artificial respira-
tion was maintained fur • few minutes, life could not be
restored. The jury acquitted the medical men of
blame, and found that the lad had died from " Misad-
venture during the administration of chloroform."

FATAL BOAT ACCIDYNT.—On Saturday Mr.
Carter held an inquest at the Crown, Cburoh•etreet,
Lambeth, on Thomas Skelton, aged 20, • clerk in the
Alliance Bank. On Thursday night, whilst in • boat with
three others belonging to the same ertablishrnent the boat
struck against Chelsea-bridge, and speedily tilled. All
four were immersed, but deceased being unable to swim
was drowned. The other three were rescued and conveyed
ashore. Verdict—Accidentally drowned was returned.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, GRAY'S-MN-110AD. —The
number of patients relieved at this hospital, daring the
week ending 14th September, 1867, wag 3,273, of which
1,084 wore new cease.