Fergus's book is ultimately a lament for the destruction of nature in the Bald Eagle Valley of central Pennsylvania. Yes, he does give information about grouse hunting and dogs, enough to satisfy the reader of any shooting book. It is also a song about the delights of hunting birds in the Valley and how that delight has eroded. It is both a happy and a sad song. It should enlighten each reader that every tiny scraping of our natural bounty is an eternal loss.I recommend it to those thoughtful people who follow dogs into the field and shoot lovingly at grouse.