The peculiar qualities necessary for good Light Infantry have been developed _par excellence_ in the Prussian Rifle battalions. These draw a very large proportion of their recruits from the gamekeepers and forester class of the country. Such men have of necessity been already trained in the attainments required for that branch of the Infantry. They are well acquainted with firearms and can shoot; they can put up with considerable hardships, they can find their way about a strange country, and they have studied in the school of nature—in short, they are the very men to make into skirmishers and marksmen, and are in their element on outpost or patrol duty. Frederick the Great was the first to train the Jäger as Light Infantry, and his influence is seen to this day. “Vive le roi et ses chasseurs” was the motto engraved on their “hirschfänger” (lit. “stag-sticker,” a large knife still worn by keepers for the purpose of giving the stag his _coup de grâce_) in his day, and it is still the watchword of the Prussian Riflemen of to-day. Frederick recognised that the true method of employing Riflemen was to extend them as skirmishers, and there is a story which tells how, when one day, in Potsdam, the Rifles were marching past him in close order, the old king shook his crutch-stick at them and shouted: “Get out of that, get out of that, you scoundrels!” and made them march past in extended order. On the 1st of April, 1890, the German Infantry numbered 171 regiments of 3 battalions each, and 21 Rifle battalions—total 534 battalions. The Guard and Grenadier Regiments are:— 4 Regiments of Foot-Guards, 4 Regiments of Guard Grenadiers, 12 Prussian Grenadier regiments (Nos. 1–12), 1 Mecklenburg Grenadier regiment (No. 89), 2 Baden Grenadier regiments (Nos. 109 and 110), 2 Saxon Grenadier regiments (Nos. 100 and 101), 2 Württemberg Grenadier regiments (Nos. 119 and 123), 1 Bavarian Body-Guard regiment, 1 Hessian Body-Guard regiment (No. 115). The Fusilier and Rifle (Schützen) Regiments are:— 12 Prussian Fusilier regiments (composed of 1 Guard Fusilier regiment, and Nos. 33–40, 73, 80, and 86 of the Line). 1 Mecklenburg Fusilier regiment (No. 90), and 1 Saxon Rifle (Schützen) regiment (No. 108). Of the remaining Line regiments, 81 are Prussian, _i.e._, Nos. 13–32, 41–72, 74–79, 81–85, 87–88, 97–99, 128–132, 135–138, and 140–143; No. 91 is Oldenburg, No. 92 ” Brunswick, No. 93 ” Anhalt, No. 94 ” Saxe-Weimar, No. 95 ” Saxe-Meiningen and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, No. 96 is Saxe-Altenburg, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, and the two principalities of Reuss, Nos. 111–114, and 144, are Baden, and Nos. 116–118 are Hessian. Total, 95 regiments of the first group. Nine belong to the 2nd group, Saxony, _i.e._, Nos. 102–107, 133, 134, and 139. Six belong to the 3rd group, Württemberg, _i.e._, Nos. 120–122 and 124–126.