152 By Stream and Sea. 



scenes of which they are the chief objects, we have many 

 an illustration of how the ways of Providence are fitted to 

 birds as well as to men. The mature sheldrake appears 

 in his beautiful markings of black, white, chestnut, and 

 carmine ; but he can take care of himself. Not so the 

 brood j and there you may espy the little creatures amongst 

 the sand and brown seaweed, to which they are so assimi- 

 lated in colour that you would never discover them if they 

 lay close. The difference of plumage at different seasons 

 of the year, and at progressive stages of the bird's growth, 

 are always, where possible, illustrated. Most remarkable 

 of all in this respect is the ptarmigan, represented (as shot 

 in Perthshire), in three aspects. In summer we have them 

 amongst the boulders of the moor; the cock, a handsome 

 black and white fellow, with showy scarlet top-knot like 

 comb, the hen so like a grouse that none but a naturalist 

 could distinguish the one from the other. It needs, how- 

 ever, no special knowledge to observe how appropriate 

 these colours are to the grey stone lichens and stunted 

 heather amongst which they are now feeding. Next we 

 have the ptarmigan family in autumn, they have changed, 

 like surrounding nature, to a sober grey. The gay cavalier 

 that erstwhile lorded it so bravely has become a Quaker, 

 conscious of his altered condition. Lastly, come the winter 

 birds, with cocks and hens alike white as the snow on 

 which they stand. 



This is the kind of principle upon which the entire 

 collection (which is not yet, however, complete) has been 

 set up, and sufficient has been indicated to show that while 

 it is a unique collection of British birds, it is also a 

 charming picture gallery, and an instructive school of 

 natural history. In other words, it is a work of genius. 



