Horses kept in good style, should never have their customary cloathing reduced, but with the strictest care and attention: the internal air of a stable should be regulated, and its temperature equally preserved entirely by the state of the season, (or, in other words, by the SEASON of the YEAR;) and external air should never be additionally admitted in cold and chilling winds, but with the greatest circumspection; as it is to be remembered, it is not the admission of such air in itself alone, by which the injury is sustained, but by the contrast it constitutes, when opposed to the previous warmth of the stable.
GROUSE
;—the name of a HORSE who promised much celebrity on the TURF. He was bred by the Duke of Grafton, and was got by Highflyer out of Georgina, who was got by Matchem, and was own sister to Conductor. He was foaled in 1790; and at three years old beat Monkey, Silver, Tick, Æacus, Agamemnon, Black Puss, Edwin, Rally, and Mr. Vernon's filly by Florizel out of Eve, three miles over the Beacon; but soon after falling lame, he became a STALLION in the Duke's possession, and having already produced Chuckle and First Fruits, both good runners, he is in considerable estimation, and will no doubt contribute to TURF STOCK with increasing reputation.
GROUSE, or RED GAME
,—that species of game for the protection of which the Legislature has provided, is a native inhabitant of HILLS and MOUNTAINS, difficult of access, and much more common to the remote than the centrical parts of the kingdom. They are beautiful in the variegations of their plumage, but inferior to the PHEASANT (particularly the cock) in both feather and size. They are included with PHEASANTS and PARTRIDGES in every act for the PRESERVATION of GAME; but differ individually in respect to the time limited for the commencement and termination of the shooting season.
It is enacted by the 13th George Third, c. lv. s. 2, That no person shall kill, destroy, carry, sell, buy, or have in his possession, any GROUSE, commonly called RED GAME, between the tenth day of December and the twelfth day of August in any year, upon pain of forfeiting, for the first offence, a sum not exceeding 20l. nor less than 10l. and for the second, and every subsequent offence, a sum not exceeding 30l. nor less than 20l. one moiety thereof to go to the informer, and the other moiety to the poor of the parish: and in case the penalty be not paid, and there be no distress to be had, the offender may be committed to prison, to be kept to hard labour for any time not exceeding SIX, nor less than THREE MONTHS.
And for the further preservation of both BLACK GAME and GROUSE, or RED GAME, it is enacted, That any person who shall, between the second day of February and the twenty-fourth day of June, in any year, burn any grig, ling, heath, furze, goss, or fern, on any mountains, hills, heaths, moors, forests, chases, or other wastes, shall be committed to the house of correction for any time not exceeding one month, nor less than ten days; there to be whipped, and kept to hard labour.
GUN
.—A GUN is that well-known instrument of pleasure used in the destruction of GAME, for the privilege of carrying which, its devotees voluntarily contribute so largely to the exigencies of State, and the support of Government. Fashion, that great centre of fluctuation, has in this, as in almost every thing else, wrought a very considerable change. Guns formerly in use for this purpose, were principally constructed from three feet eight and ten inches, to five and even six feet in the length of the barrel only; which, by the effect of constantly increasing ingenuity and persevering invention, are now reduced to a standard varying but little below two feet nine, or above three feet and an inch; these having been improved to such a degree of perfection, as to bring down a bird from FORTY to SIXTY yards distance; and at no greater would any SPORTSMAN wish to put a gun to his shoulder. Guns with longer barrels are generally appropriated to the killing of water fowl, and are called FOWLING-PIECES.