GREY PTARMIGAX. 203 



mountains, which, with their tremendous precipices, completely 

 surrounded the hollow in which I cowered, like a Ptarmigan 

 in the hill-corry. Behind me, in the west, and at the head of 

 the glen, was a lofty mass enveloped in clouds ; on the right a 

 pjTamidal rock, and beside it a peak of less elevation ; on the 

 left a ridge from the great mountain, terminating below in a 

 dark conical prominence ; and straight before me, in the east, 

 at the distance apparently of a mile, another vast mass. Find- 

 ing myself cold, although the weather was mild, I got up and 

 made me a couch of large stones, grass, and a little short heath, 

 unloosed my pack, covered one of my extremities with a night- 

 cap, and thrust a pair of dry stockings on the other, ate a por- 

 tion of my scanty store, drank two or three glasses of water 

 from a neighbouring rill, 2:»laced myself in an easy posture, and 

 fell asleep. About sunrise I awoke, fresh, but feeble, ascended 

 the glen, passed through a magnificent corry, composed of vast 

 rocks of granite, ascended the steep with great difficulty, and 

 at length gained the summit of the mountain, which was 

 covered with light grey mist that rolled rapidly along the 

 ridges. As the clouds cleared away at intervals, and the sun 

 shone upon the scene, I obtained a view of the glen in which 

 I had passed the night, the corry, the opposite hills, and a 

 blue lake before me. The stream which I had followed I 

 traced to two large fountains, from each of which I took a 

 glassful, which I quaffed to the health of my best friends. 

 Near these wells I met with a covey of Grey Ptarmigans, and 

 a Titling. These species are undoubtedly those which occupy 

 the highest station in Britain as their ordinary residence ; but 

 although the latter, Anthus pratensis, is occasionally found on 

 the very summits of Ben-na-muic-dui and Ben Nevis, it is more 

 frequently met with on the sea-shore, and in all the intermediate 

 country, but especially the hilly pastures. Silene acaulis was 

 still in flower, and the whole summit was covered with Salix 

 herbacea, both of which are eaten by the Ptarmigan. 



Descending from this summit, I wandered over a high moor, 

 came upon the brink of rocks that bounded a deep valley, in 

 which was a black lake, proceeded over the unknown region 

 of alternate boofs and craos raised several flocks of Grey Ptar- 



