ABOVE THE PINE-ZONE 25 



paratively small peregrine without offering any 

 retaliation. 



I advance over the heather, and there, skimming 

 towards me, is a large bird a harrier. The species 

 cannot be doubted, as it flies near the ground, work- 

 ing it as a hound or a setter would do. Now it 

 stoops, glides, ascends, stoops again, and shoots off 

 at right angles. It rounds the shoulder of the hill 

 and drops into a dark patch of ling. A covey of 

 young grouse whirr heavily over the nearest brae, 

 but the marsh harrier remains. It has struck down 

 one of the " cheepers " and is dragging its victim 

 to the shelter of a furze bush. The wonderful 

 evolutions and movements in which the bird in- 

 dulges, its sudden swoops, its ascending and de- 

 scending, seem all regulated by its tail. 



A male and female harrier generally hunt together, 

 and afford a pretty sight as they " harry " the 

 game, driving it from one to the other, and hawking 

 in most systematic fashion. They thoroughly 

 quarter the ground previously marked out, and 

 generally with success. When they work the quiet 

 mountain tarns their mode is regulated according 

 to circumstance. In such instances they not in- 

 frequently sit and watch, and capture their prey 

 by suddenly pouncing upon it. 



From the grey stone over there a beautiful little 

 bird, barely larger than a thrush, has suddenly 



