CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 81 



hills are high and the beats extensive. It is a 

 matter of small importance to be lost all night on 

 a Ptarmigan hill during the summer months, but to 

 miss one's way on a winter's evening, with a snow- 

 storm coming on, might possibly be attended with 

 serious consequences. 



In order to avoid such a mishap I used, when making 

 an expedition for these birds, to leave the Lodge by 

 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, and so reaching the high 

 ground about 8 o'clock (which was as early as it was 

 possible to commence shooting) I was enabled to get 

 four or five hours' sport, and then have the advantage 

 of daylight for the roughest part of the homeward 

 journey. 



Frequently after scrambling up-hill in the dark, we 

 have discovered on arriving at the spot where we ex- 

 pected to meet with the birds, that the whole of the 

 summits were enveloped in cloud and mist. Under 

 such circumstances, all sport of course being out of 

 the question, the only thing left to be done would be 

 to beat a speedy retreat, and hope for more propitious 

 weather on the next attempt. 



The specimens in the case were obtained on the hills 

 to the north-west of the Eiver Lyon, in Perthshire 

 in December, 1867. 



At this season the males may readily be distin- 

 guished from the females by their showing a black 

 mark between the beak and eye. 



