Game Preservers and Bird Preservers: Which are our Friends?

Description:

First edition. Scarce. An important and controversial 19th-century treatise on British game management, predator control, and wildlife conservation. Written by a veteran military officer and sportsman, this work served as a direct polemic against the findings of the 1873 Select Committee on Wild Birds Protection.

Morant argues forcefully against the 'balance of nature' theory popularized by contemporary naturalists. Drawing from his field experiences in India, South Africa, and the Scottish Highlands, he contends that the survival of prized game - particularly the red grouse - necessitates the systematic eradication of apex predators and ‘vermin’, including eagles, hen harriers, ravens, foxes, and weasels. The book covers the mechanics of grouse disease, the impact of corvids, and practical keepering techniques, sparking intense debate upon publication, including a famously critical review in Nature (September 1875).

Condition

8vo, orig. cloth, gilt. Paper slightly browned. Vg.