800 MAJfUAL OF MODERDf FARRIERY 



PTARMIGAN-SHOOTING. 



Ptarmigans are extinct in England and Wales, and are 

 comparatively thinly scattered in Scotland, where they 

 chiefly inhabit the tops of lofty mountain ranges in the 

 Highlands. They inhabit Ben-more, Ben-lawers, as well as 

 the Hebrides and the Orkneys. They locate on the very 

 summits of rock, sitting on grey stones, during summer, from 

 which they can scarcely be distinguished, from the similarity 

 of their colour. They seldom take long flights ; but when 

 disturbed, make a small circuit, and alight. They are by no 

 means so shy as the common grouse. In winter they are 

 found sitting upon the snow, and are hardly to be distin- 

 guished, from their immaculate whiteness. Mr. Daniel men- 

 tions a circumstance of a friend of his killing forty-three 

 ptarmigans in one day above Loch Laggan, which lies be- 

 tween Dalwinnie and Fort Augustus. Dogs are of little use 

 in ptarmigan-shooting, after they have taken to the higher 

 summits. It is only when their resort is in the high moun- 

 tain glens that dogs can be used. The flesh of this bird 

 strongly resembles in flavour that of the grouse ; indeed, it 

 is hardly possible to distinguish the difierence. 



The ptarmigan is a very local species in Britain, being con- 

 fined to the loftiest mountain ranges of the North, extending 

 as far west as the Hebrides, and north to the Orkneys, and 

 has been seen sparingly in Scotland. It would seem that 

 the name of this bird is derived from the Gaelic language, 

 from the word tarmachan. 



These birds pair early in spring, and the female deposits 

 from ten to fifteen dirty-white eggs, spotted and blotched 

 with rufous-brown, something larger than those of a par- 

 tridge. The brood not only continue together until the suc- 

 ceeding spring; but in winter several families associate. 



