THE PTARMIGAN-GROUSE. 187 



to penetrate the snow to a great depth, in search 

 of their hidden food. Nor is this all that is 

 worthy of notice as fitting them for their 

 wild abiding place : living in the midst of 

 snows, if they had the bright colours of many of 

 their race, they would have little chance of con- 

 cealing themselves from their enemies ; to afford 

 them this security, a snow-white covering has 

 been given them, which serves, in great measure, 

 to hide them from the piercing glance of birds 

 of prey, as it is very difficult to distinguish their 

 silvery plumage from the gleaming whiteness of 

 surrounding snows. They are found in the 

 most northern parts of Europe, Asia, and Ame- 

 rica, where perpetual winter reigns, and on lofty 

 mountains in the central parts of these continents. 

 The most common species is the ptarmigan- 

 grouse, the lagopus of the ancients. This bird 

 is found in various countries of central Europe 

 and Asia, and also in North America. In this 

 country it is only to be met with on the summits 

 of some of our highest hills, chiefly in the high- 

 lands of Scotland, the Hebrides, the Orkneys, 

 and sometimes, though but rarely, on the lofty 

 hills of Cumberland, and the mountains of the 

 Principality. Fitted to inhabit frozen regions, 

 it dreads the influence of the sun, and is seldom 

 found on the southern sides of mountains. In 



