ioo The Alps in June. 



up his tracks over the snow, I found them cross- 

 ing and recrossing the ' spur ' of chamois. A 

 little further on, I saw the Ptarmigan creeping 

 about among the rocks, and very soon I heard 

 the call of the Snow-finches. These birds, who 

 thus live and breed almost within the limits of 

 perpetual snow, might be supposed, as Gould 

 says of them, to ' dwell in unmolested security.' 

 I was soon able to judge of the accuracy of his 

 statement, for as soon as I had caught sight of 

 them with the field-glass, I saw that something 

 was causing anxiety to the little family. It was 

 their alarm-call that I had heard ; and as I was 

 cautiously watching them fluttering on or close 

 to the ground, I suddenly saw a small red fox 

 make a hungry dash upon them, startling me 

 and causing me for the moment unwittingly to 

 move the glass and lose the whole scene. When 

 I found them again the fox was gone, the finches 

 were greatly troubled, and I fear there is no 

 doubt that he secured a dinner. 



The Snow-finch is a beautiful bird, rather larger 

 than a Green-finch or Sparrow, with long wings in 

 which the primary quill-feathers are much longer 



