nntl the weather had turned thick and dark, w resolved to leave oar search for nests till a finer dav. On
arriving at the fox-cairn anil putting in the terriers, ire found it bore no signs of baring been used this season.
As it was now too late to try farther, the dogs were coupled and we turned back. Not more than a hundred
yank had lieen passed over, when benring a scuffle behind, we turned round and saw a ben Ptarmigan
struggling in the month of one of the terriers; on shouting to the nog the bird flew away, none the worse
excepting the loss of n few tail-feathers. It was evident the terncr had seized her on the nest, which contained
seven eggs, lie had luckily only succeeded in catching her tail, as the dog to which he was coupled was
tugging in the opposite direction, nnd had most probably so saved the life of the bird. As I required the
female in summer plumage, we retired to the shelter of a large rock about a couple of hundred yards
distaul to await the return of the bird to her nest. I then sent oh* ono of the men to (he pony for what
was left of our eatables and drinkables, and we made our-elves as comfortable in the heavy downpour as
circumstances would permit. The head keeper who had joined us remarked he had observed our pony from
the lower enirn, and thinking we were from the Itannoeh side of the hill hail come up to order us oir the
ground, entertaining a great antipathy to the people who marched with him in that direction, as they
frequently came on his side of the hill and shot his hares and Ptarmigans. On the last occasion, he stated, they
were encountered about half a mile over the march, anil after informing them that he had no desire to afford
another day's shooting, had sternly walked away, refusing all manner of tempting liquors which had been
pressed upon him. Poor old Sandy is gone, nnd I shuuld he sorry to throw doubt on any of his statements;
but still I can scarcely credit the latter part of his story, as Sandy dearly loved his native mountain-dew!
"Wehad lieen rather more than an hour sitting under the shelter of the rockuith til! the dogs gathered
round, when a collie, which had bi-en lying within a yard of my feet, got up, shook the wet from his coat,
and again laid down, this time changing his position by about a foot. He now chose the brown hack of a
female Ptarmigan 1o recline upon, which, causing a great flutter, startled the dog as much as the bird herself.
On her flying oil' it was ili-eovered she bad been sitting on eight eggs. The Mat was within a couple of yards
of the spot where we had sat for more than an hour, and it was a wonder with so iiuiny dogs about that
some of them had not stumbled on her sooner. As this bird had lost no feathers, I determined to obtain her
instead of the one w hich bad been caught by the terrier. It was now GETTING late, so, after a parting glass, the
fox hunters left us and proceeded home, the head keeper kindly giving ma liberty to shoot as many
Ptarmigan (although, of course, out of season) us I required. His generosity was not so surprising when it
was afterwards ascertained thai we were at least half a mile on the ground of his Rannoch friend, to whom I
am indebted for my specimens of Ptarmigan with nest and eggs | It had now become so thick and dark that it
was scarcely possible to see a gunshot ahead. In order to give the female a chance to return to her nest, I left
the spot and went in search of a male. Though several were croaking in all directions, it was some time
before I could GET u shot. At last a chance presented itself at a bird Hi bag pnst; but as he went on nut of
sight, though evidently hard hit, I was just looking out for another, when Donald, the keeper, who was somo
distance behind, shouted out that be hud the bird. On retracing my steps 1 fuuud it had fallen dead within a
few feet or the spot when- he stood. Then cautiously approaching the last nest, we discovered that the female
bad returned. She sat very close, and it was not till the kirpcr put down his hand and lilted her up, that she
nould be induced to fly. We next took the nest and eggs, and niter securely packing the whole of the
specimens, made our way back to the spot where the pony bad been left. On our arrival the gillie pointed out
the nest we were in search of after lunch. We had not examined the ground on which the pony stood,
nnd here the female had sat unmoved till she had been disturbed by one of the pannier-straps falling on her
back while the lunch was being repacked.
" We had BOW over twelve or fourteen miles of rough travelling to get over before reaching the lodge.
As the mist was so dense that it was impossible to see half a dozen yards before us, I was of opinion that it
would be the safest plan to follow a dry gully down to a burn which we knew fell into Glenlyon. Although a
few miles out of our road, (his track would be sure to bring us homo at lust. The keeper, however, was so
exceedingly eonllilcnl that he could llnd his way back across the hill, tlwt I nt last gave way, Ihoiigh
entertaining great doubts on the subject. After leaving the rocky ground we made good progress for about
an hour and a half, when 1 noticed that Donald's cheerful countenance began to wear a troubled look, and
he at length proposed that we should make casts for a large rock, which ought (supposintr we were in the
right line) to lie nt no great distance. Por half an hour we searched diligently, but without meeting a single
mark that would servo to guide us on our way. At length wo found it useless to proceed tiny further in the
direction we wen- going, and on retracing our steps soon got so confused, that even the trnsly Donald was
forced to confess that he was at a loss lo know w loch way to turn. After wauileriiig about all night we found
ourselves, when the mist cleared oil' at daybreak, within a short distance id' Loch Itannoeh, being then just n
mile or two Author from the lodge than when we started for home the previous evening. Twice during the
night the unfurlunate pony had been hogged, and it was ouly after an hour's hard work that wo had sneccedod
ill extricating her on the second occasion. I fully expeetid the poor beast would need lo be shot in order to
save her from sutrueation. The contiuunus rain of the last twelve hours had completely blackened (he water ¡11
the springs and burns; and, although somewhat fatigued, Ihirst was ibo only inconvenience ftoiu which we
suffered, our extra supplies of liquor having been cleared out by the nnex|tecteil 1 ting on the hill. 1 was in
great doubt as lo whether wc should succeed in getting the dogs home. In order lo assist diem along they
had been fastened by a line lo the pony, and every time n halt was made, if only lor a moment, the worn-out
animals stretched themselves on the ground to sh-ep, and it was necessary to lift litem up before they could be
induced to proceed."
A few days lalcr, being anxious to know w here wo had first missed our way, 1 went over the same ground,
and was enabled to discover, by the tracks of the pony, that after proceeding about a couple of hundred yards
we bud in some unaccountable manner turned round and taken a nearly opposile course.
On passing the Met of the Ptarmigan on which the bird had been caught by the terrier, I found she
was sitting on only three eggs, the others having been without doubt carried oil by the Ravens. While
collecting the tail-feathers, which had most probably draw 11 their attention 10 the nest, 1 heard a harsh croak,
and on looking up the haven was circling round above my head, only, unfortuuatiiy, out of shot. As the day
was clear, I was enabled lo thoroughly examine the plumage of the male Ptarmigan with the glasses, and
obtained a much liner specimen than the one previously shot. No females were seen, with the exception of the
one whose nest 1 visited, though several miles of rough ground were passed over. Prom the numbers or males
observed cither strutting about on some commanding ridge or perched on the summit of a large stone, it was
ohvious that many pairs must resort to this range of hills; in every direction they wore calling and croaking
defiantly, disporting themselves with drooping wir.gs and elevated and expended fails'. The cocks In the
finest plumage 1 remarked were by far the most ostentatious iu their behaviour. There appears to he a great
diversity in the colouring of the males: several were noticed exhibiting but a few dark fealhers on the breast ;
these were probably young and backward birds of the previous season.