230 A PTAEMIGAN DAY. 



remaining three skimmed round the northern 

 bend of the hill into lower and smoother ground, 

 I had little doubt of recovering them again. 



On the flat where I had calculated, the pointer 

 at once touched on the scent ; but before he had 

 time to settle, a brace of ptarmigan rose wild; and 

 took a straight course for the adjoining mountain 

 of Duchray. Confident of a shot at the third, 

 I ran forward to where they had taken wing, but 

 was again balked, for the setter came suddenly 

 down wind on the other side, and poked up the 

 bird at the very spot I had so hastily quitted! 

 It laboured, however, being evidently touched by 

 my second barrel in the preceding double shot, 

 and, incapable of the daring flight of its com- 

 panions, turned back on Ben Oss, and slunk into 

 a "gully" close at hand. It was easily found 

 sprung at my feet, and dropped dead down the 

 ravine. 



The sun was now slanting behind the western 

 hills, and, barring the short respite when " the 

 hunter produced his scanty pittance at noon," I 

 had walked hard since early morn. After so try- 

 ing a day, three brace of ptarmigan on one's shoul- 



