134 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. IX. 



are kept under. In the north and north-west 

 districts of the county, excepting in one or two 

 small districts, grouse are very rare indeed. In 

 Assynt, where a clever keeper and trapper is kept, 

 these birds have increased rapidly within a few 

 years. The Duke of Sutherland, I believe, only 

 preserves that part of the country nearer to Dun- 

 robin, and which is within reach of his friends. 

 Even if all his immense territory were preserved 

 and protected from vermin, etc., a great part of it, 

 from its distance, would be useless as shooting- 

 ground. No bird is handsomer or more game-like 

 than a cock grouse in the spring-time, as he struts 

 and crows with erect comb on some hillock, scarcely 

 taking notice of the passer-by. 



86. The Ptarmigan is tolerably numerous on the 

 more lofty ranges of mountains, such as Ben Hee, 

 Ben Cleebrick, Ben Laighal, and many others, the 

 summits of which this bird frequents, seldom 

 coming down to the heather, but living, a true 

 child of the mist, above all vegetation, amongst the 

 rocks and loose stones. The Ptarmigan requires 

 protection as well as the grouse, more particularly 

 from shepherds and their boys. 



87. The Common Pheasant is nowhere very 

 abundant in Sutherland; in the lower districts, 

 near Dunrobin, there are some, but no great 



