166 WILD LIFE OF SCOTLAND 



whom there are so many, are charged with mis- 

 taking the female, or grey hen for grouse, and 

 killing her on the Twelfth, that is eight days before 

 blackcock shooting begins. But, as all the young 

 alike are grey, the destruction is probably much 

 more general. 



Only a ridge separated the way along which I was 

 walking from Loch Tay and Taymouth, whither the 

 capercaillie, after a long exile, was rein troduced nearly 

 sixty years ago. A few had found their way across. 



The carrion - crow abounded ; the hooded crow 

 was absent. The raven was deeper among the 

 hills. Missel-thrush and mountain blackbird repre- 

 sented the thrushes. 



The twite, or mountain linnet, was everywhere 

 on the hill slopes. It differs from the rest of the 

 linnet family in the absence of the prevailing red 

 tint. Ground builders are usually coloured in 

 harmony with whatever surface they habitually 

 rest on, and are destitute of any mark that would 

 call attention to them. There is a deep blood 

 patch on the rump of the male ; but this only 

 serves as a further protection. It resembles a 

 flush of purple bells, among the purple heather ; 

 this is the heather lintie. 



Rain began to fall ; so gently, at first, as only 



