124 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



In these seasonal changes of plumage the protective 

 hand of Nature is fully displayed, for thus covered the 

 ptarmigan escapes many unwelcome attentions from 

 eagle, fox, raven, stoat, or other predaceous creatures 

 which traverse those lonely hills, winter and summer. 

 British-killed specimens of both ptarmigan and caper- 

 caillie do not so often find their way into the game- 



PTARMIGAN IN WINTER. 



shops, Northern Europe furnishing our chief supply of 

 these game-birds for the table. The majority of the 

 ptarmigan-like birds reaching this country are, in fact, 

 willow grouse, known in Scandinavia as "ripa," and 

 which is, by the way, a very near relative of our red 

 grouse. 



The ptarmigan is the smallest of our grouse family, 

 the male being some 15 inches in length, the female 



