116 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



a case is on record — from Skye — of Ptarmigan being met 

 with at less than 100 feet from the sea-level, and as 

 recently as 1913, during a heavy snowfall in Perthshire, 

 they were seen on cultivated land. 



In Norway Ptarmigan often follow the reindeer in the 

 winter and dive into the holes made by these animals, 

 thus obtaining a few berries. In winter they roost in the 

 snow, and in my experience even seek out snowfields on 

 which to roost during the summer months, for on such 

 fields in August and September I have frequently found 

 their roosting hollows. Ptarmigan sleep in coveys, but 

 Mr. Millais is of opinion that the birds when roosting to- 

 gether are more scattered than Grouse or Partridges, and 

 I am inclined to agree with him in this. 



During the short days of December, when darkness 

 closes in about the hills three hours after noon, the soft 

 calling of the Ptarmigan is singularly in keeping with their 

 surroundings of grandeur. On such a day I have crossed 

 through a wild hill pass, and at the watershed have dis- 

 turbed a large pack of these White Grouse. The murmur 

 of many snowy wings as the birds wheeled their way 

 above my head from one hill face to another is a sound 

 that will for long be retained as a highly-prized gift of the 

 high hills — given only to those who know and appreciate 

 them in winter gloom as well as under a summer's sun. 



When a vegetation composed of blaeberry and crow- 

 berry is present, the Tarmachan appear to choose that 

 ground for a home in preference to grass or heather, 

 because, I think, of their preference to the young shoots 

 of the former plants as food. 



Ptarmigan in winter are as white as the snowy wastes 

 they inhabit, and I shall always remember the sight I 

 had of a covey of these birds crossing a hill -top in the rays 

 of a setting sun in January. As they emerged from the 

 slopes already in shadow and caught the sun on the plateau, 



I 



