6o 



It was now getting late, so after a parting 

 glass the fox-hunters left us and proceeded home ; 

 the head keeper kindly telling me I might shoot as 

 many Ptarmigan (although, of course, out of season) 

 as I wanted. 



I was not so much surprised at his generosity 

 when I afterwards learned that we were at least 

 half a mile on the ground of his Raimoch friend, to 

 whom I am indebted for my case of Ptarmigan and 

 nest. 



It had now become so thick and dark that I 

 could hardly see a gunshot ahead of me. 



In order to give the female a chance to return 

 to her nest I left the spot and went in search of a 

 male. Though several were croaking in all 

 directions, it was some time before I could get a 

 shot. At last a chance presented itself at a bird 

 flying past ; but as he went on out of sight, though 

 evidently hard hit, I was just looking out for 

 another, when I heard Donald, the keeper, who was 

 some distance behind, shout out that he had the 

 bird ; and on going up to him I found it had fallen 

 dead within a few feet of the spot where he 

 stood. 



Then cautiously approaching the last nest we 

 discovered that the female had returned. She sat 

 very close, and it was not till the keeper had put 

 his hand under her and lifted her up that she could 

 be induced to fly. 



We next took the nest and eggs, and after 

 securely packing the whole of our specimens made 

 our way back to where we had left the pony. 



On reaching the spot the gillie pointed out the 

 nest we were in search of after lunch. We had not 

 examined the ground between the legs of the pony, 

 and here the female had sat unmoved till she had 

 been disturbed by one of the pannier-straps falling 

 on her back while the lunch was being repacked. 



We had now twelve or fourteen miles of rough 

 travelling to get over before reaching the Lodge ; 



