50 ON TEE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



ptarmigan, within which was a second small feather 

 of soft down, forming a lining, which affords extra 

 protection from cold for the birds abiding on the 

 higher range of the hills ; whilst the common grouse, 

 which lives at a lower level, has no such provision 

 made. 



It was on the mountain-tops that I was to go 

 on this occasion to enjoy the exciting sport of 

 shooting ptarmigan. In order to do this I had to 

 walk some two miles or more over the rough, rising, 

 and in places boggy ground, before the base of the 

 mountain was reached, up which I had to climb in 

 order to get within shot of these wary birds. It was 

 no easy task to attain the topmost ridge. However, 

 following the under-keeper, I, after considerable 

 exertion, surmounted the difficulty, and stood on the 

 summit, breechloader in hand. In order to find 

 the ptarmigan, it was necessary to struggle over the 

 immense beds of loose granite stones which covered 

 the mountainside, seeming as if at some time, ages 

 ago, there had been an eruption of granite stones, 

 so thickly did they lie down the hillside. Balancing 

 myself as well as I could, holding my gun as carefully 

 as possible, both barrels being at full cock, I stepped 

 upon these treacherous stones, which frequently gave 

 way under my feet, rolling down the steep declivity. 



Up rises the first covey, but not within reach of 

 my gun : we mark them down, one alighting on a 

 ledge, up to which I was bound to climb if I intended 

 to have a shot. With tottering steps, and almost 

 breathless, I reached the spot, and Eamsay pointed 

 out a ptarmigan sitting amongst the stones, which, 

 from the similarity of its plumage to the gray and 



