106 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



BLACK GROUSE. 



TETRAO TETRIX, Linnaeus. 



Common about the birch-woods of Loch Inver, and abundant in 

 the interior of the county, in suitable localities. 



Ohs. The Capercaillie, {Tetrao urogallus, Linnaeus) is extinct in 

 the county, though at one time abundant, as may be seen in Sir 

 Robert Gordon's " Earldom of Sutherland " and in later records. 



RED GROUSE. 



TETRAO SCOTICUS, Linnaeus. 



Very scarce in many localities, and tolerably abundant in others. 

 Very few birds are to be seen in the county lying near the west 

 coast, and I have walked, for the greater part of two days, con- 

 secutively, over that portion lying to the west of the mountain 

 called Quinaig, and between it and Stoir point, without seeing 

 more than one or two pairs of old birds in the breeding season. 

 They are scarce also in the parish of Durness, as mentioned 

 in the old "Statistical Account," 1793. Further inland they 

 become more numerous; but in Assynt generally, from eight or 

 ten, up to twenty brace, are considered a good bag for one or two 

 guns. This comparative scarcity of the Red Grouse, is, however, 

 amply atoned for, in my opinion, by the great numbers of the next 

 species, though many sportsmen who take shootings in the west of 

 Sutherland scarcely ever go in pursuit of the Ptarmigan. In these 

 wild parts Grouse do not " pack " as they do in Perthshire, or 

 where there is a heavy stock of birds ; and in September, and even 

 on certain days in October, almost as good shooting may be had, 

 as earlier in the season. 



PTARMIGAN. 



TETRAO LAGOP US, Linnaeus. 



Perhaps nowhere in Scotland are Ptarmigan more abundant 

 than on the mountains of Assynt. The ridge of Ben Chaorin, 

 with the heights and corries of Glashven, Ben More, and Braebag, 

 are especially famous for the numbers there found. Other hills 

 again are not so well stocked ; for instance, isolated mountains such 

 as Quinaig, Canispe, Soulbhein, Coul More, and Coul Beg, which 

 lie nearer to the sea. 



