of the wintry UNITE anil driving slnnns, as well as the dangers of the frozen sheets of ice, which any highcm!
raged dog will attempt to cross if despatched in soarch or a dead bird, I always prefer to leave my faithful
followers at hiiine when in pursuit of winter Ptarmigan.
Although I have visited at different time- daring my wanderings in the north several Ptarmigan-ranges in
the counties of Inverness, ltoss, and Sutherland, in each of which the nature of the country varies considerably,
the whole of the specimens I collected were obtained in the north-west of Perthshire. Between l'sOo and 1808
1 had many opportunities, at all seasons, for making observations. My notes contain repeated accounts
of sport on the hill-tops during autumn ; but as one day's work much resembles that of another, it will be
useless to make any lengthened extracts. The greatest drawback to the sport in this part of the country is
the steep and dangerous nature of the bill-side over which it is necessary to follow the packs. There is no
little difficulty and risk in making a successful shot at a bird rising unexpectedly while picking one's way
across loose and slippery flakes of stone, overhanging perhaps a precipice of some hundred feet in height, or
climbing a steep mountain-slope among huge blocks of rock and granite. Though Ptarmigan, when driven
up from their accustomed feediiiif-vriuinds i:i the \ ieioity of the short irreeu herbage and stunted vegetation that
alone flourish on the hill-tops, often seek refuge in the rough and stony gullie-, such localities are by no means
their favourite haunts; unless previously disturlicd or constantly harassed, they are seldom found harbouring
in such inhospitable quarters.
A short extinct from my notes for 1SI13 will give some slight idea of the difficult nature of the ground
in the west of Perthshire. When shooting in this part dogs were seldom employed: forming live or six
keepers and gillies iu line, some ten or a dozen yards apart, I usually touk one of the higher stations, and in
this manner we made our way over the rough ground.
" September 0. Light breeze from the north-west; weather favourable in every respect. Tried the
top of Bcnderg for Ptarmigan. The first time of going round the hill a large pack rose among the
broken stones on tho cast side. Though scattered, the whole number sprung within twenty yards; the
ground, however, was so dangerous as to preclude all chance of a shot. A few moments later a single bird,
which had remained behind, was detected running in front of the line, and on taking wing was cvcntually
bngged. A couple of hundred yards further on the pack was found again, and a second time escaped from
the same cause, the whole of this face of the hill being almost impassable. The old cock on tins occasion
separated from the rest of the pack, and marking the ledge on which he pitched, I was able to scramble up,
and succeeded in obtaining a shot. A thick mist now came suddenly up, with a cold breeze, and it beeame
exceedingly dark. During a slight break in the clouds a low croak was heard, aud a couple of young birds
were discovered squatting on a knoll within the distance of live and twenty yards. As they rose I fired; but
on reaching the spot, not even so much as a feather could he found. After hunting about for some time
with no further results, it appeared that both birds must have escaped. As it was now too dark to proceed, and
the drizgh; bad increased to a shower, a hall was made and lunch brought out. In less than half an hour the
mist and rain cleared off and the sun again broke through. A setter which had been kept up all the
morning, owing to the rough aud stony irruund across which we had been working, was now tried. On being
loosed he did not move alwve half a dozen paces before he stood, then drew on a few yards aud stood again ;
and on looking just in front of him the two birds were discovered close together, one unable to tly and ihe
other retaining sufficient slrength to flutter downhill. The latter, being shot, rolled to the foot of the rocks
and caused some delay before it was retrieved. I lav iug now as many birds as were needed and a long tramp
before us, we turned homewards. On reaching the flat ground on the summit of the hill a single old
bird persisted in running just in front of us, jerking his tail in such an insulting manner that I cuuld not
resist shooting him when he rose."
Mauy more extracts concerning the shouting of autumn birds during the seasons of 180S, '00, aud '117
might, be given ; hut they are almost repetitions iff the facts related above. The birds at these seasons wen-,
for the most part, as lame as chickens, thuugh occasionally unapproachable, and at times crossing the
valleys to the neighbouring hill-tops. It appears a couiinou occurrence for one or possibly two birds to lie
left behind when the pack take wing; these, if unmolested, will continue running and turning from time
to time, with hut slight sinus of alarm, to watch the intruders on their haiinls.
On the approach of « hater, Ptarmigan show a considerable addition to Ihe white on the plumage, though
it is only the oldest birds that assume the pure white dress so early as the end of the shoot ing-season. The
young occasionally retain several grey feathers in their plumage a month or even six weeks later; and,
judging by my own experience, it is probable that some of the more backward birds du not become thoroughly
white till their second winter. This change is not a moult; the white appears first at Ihe point of the
feathers, aud then gradually spreads down to the root or quill. I have now and then killed Ptarmigan which,
at Ihe first glance, appealed perfectly white, but on being more closely examined showed several stains or
lightly marked blotches on their plumage; on turning lack the feathers it was obvious that a few were still
half grey; and their darker side showing dimly through the pure white euvcring of the adjoining or
overlapping feathers, imparted the stained .appearance to their nthcrwi-e spotless plumage.
Ptarmigan-shooting in December is a very different sport to the slaughter uf the innocents in August.
The hills have now put on their winter covering iff snow and ice, and a good bag of white (irousc is seldom
made without considerable risk. It is a matter of small importance to bo lost all night on a Ptarmigan-hill
during the summer months; but to miss one's way uu a winter's evening, »ith a snow-storm cominguu. might
possibly be attended with serious consequences. In order to avoid such mishaps, I found it the safest plan,
when making on expedition after these birds, to leave ihe ledge by 3 or 1 o'clock in Ihe morning, and so
reaching the high ground about S A.M. (which was as early as il was pondble to commence shooting), I was
enabled to get four or live hours' sport, and then have the advantage of daylight fur the roughest part of the
homeward journey. Frequently, after scrambling uphill in the dark, it was discovered, on arriving at the
spot where we expected to meet with the birds that the whole of the summits were enveloped in cloud and
mist. Under such circumstances, all sport, of course, being out of the question, il only remained to beat
a speedy retreat and hope for more propitious weather on the next attempt.
A few of the vicissitudes attending the pursuit of Ptarmigan in winter will be seeu by an extract from
my notes Tor 1800 :—
"December 7. It was well on towards mid-day before we reached the top of the lull, and on approaching
the summit it was evident that all the surrounding ranges were enveloped in mist, which was gradually
advancing from the north-east. An immediate -tart in search of birds was consequently made, in hopes of
obtaining a brace or two before the mist compelled us to desist. Forming at once in line (two keepers, two
gillies, and myself), so as just to keep one another in sight, we made the best of our way round the faco
of the hifl. The surface of the snew being hard and frozen, we were able to advance at some speed, though
of course walking on the slopes was risky. On reaching a large patch of broken stones on the norlh
side of the hill, perhaps a wee bit over the march (.but Ihe mist was so thiek it was impossible to tell our
whereabouts with any certainly). Ihe croak of a Ptarmigan was heard ; aud on stopping the Hue and looking
round, 1 soon made out a while lu-ad over some large blocks of stone. Almost immediately it was delected
the bird dashed dow nhill, though just loo late to es^ie, and, falling dead, rolled to the foot of the rocks. On
being recovered il proved lo he a y outig em k, the plumage si ill exhibiting a large amount of grey an g I he
while feathers. After passing two or three Ugly spols, where the line was forced lo open right and left, wo
started several birds, which were lost sight of in ihe mist before there was an opportunity of firing a shot.
At length, during a slight break in the clouds, as the mist was somewhat less dense, a drive was attempted,
Taking my station uu a ridge on the east side of the hill, the men were despaiched right round. One bird