CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 3OI 



Well, the last hundred yards or so had to be done 

 on our hands and knees, till we got to a wall ; by- 

 rights, on raising ourselves above this wall, the tree 

 should be within twenty-five yards on which the 

 Grouse was perched. Very slowly I raised myself, 

 getting my gun ready for a quick shot. Do you 

 think I saw the bird? No fear! He had taken 

 his departure, probably as soon as he saw us leave 

 the road ; for I suppose he argued something after 

 this fashion, "So long as I can see them I'm all 

 right, but when I can't it's all wrong, they're up to 

 something." 



Blackcock are very fast and strong on the wing, 

 and afford fine sporting shots when driven out of 

 the woods over the truns outside. 



The Ptarmigan. 



This beautiful and ijraceful bird is a resident in 

 those higher ranges of the Scotch mountains which 

 are suitable to its habitat ; even there its distribution 

 is local, the most favoured counties being Perthshire, 

 Aberdeenshire, Ross-shire, and Sutherlandshire. It 

 is not found in Ireland. This species seldom comes 

 lower than an elevation of 2,000 feet, except possibly 

 during very severe weather in the winter. The 

 eiofht to ten e<jfo-s resemble those of the Red Grouse, 

 but the ground-colour is lighter ; they are laid late in 

 May, in a hole scraped in the soil. The specimens in 

 the case were obtained in the early part of the year 

 1890, and I was accompanied by John McKillop, 



