266 THE GROUSE 



lie very well, and as many as sixty brace 

 have been killed by one gun in a day. 

 In rough and broken weather they be- 

 come almost unapproachable, every covey 

 rising wild and far out of shot ; and, 

 indeed, on a bad day it is better not to 

 take the hill at all, for, apart from the 

 doubtful chances of any sport, the tops 

 are not only the reverse of pleasant, but 

 can be really dangerous going in thick 

 and misty weather. 



The best ptarmigan ground lying in 

 strictly preserved forests, where all else 

 must yield to the necessity of avoiding 

 any disturbance of the deer, shooting is 

 usually confined to an odd day before 

 and after the stalking season. 



Driving can be rarely resorted to with 

 success, the physical obstacles being 

 usually unsurmountable, and the stock 

 of birds on any particular hill rarely 

 sufficient to warrant the attempt. 



On one occasion the writer took part 

 in an extemporised drive which proved 

 a great success, but the lie of the ground 



