34 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



III 



THE WHITE GROUSE OF THE LICHEN PATCHES 



AMONG the bare patches of grey stone and lichened 

 rock of the high Scotch hills the ptarmigan, the 

 smallest, and quite the most interesting, of the 

 British grouse, loves to sun itself. As the red 

 grouse finds its concealment perfect among the brown 

 and purple heather, so the white grouse is almost in- 

 distinguishable when lying close upon the sun-flecked 

 "barrens" of the lofty mountains. So wonderfully 

 do the birds conform that it is next to impossible 

 to detect them, if only they remain quiescent. 

 Early in the season, however, they may be seen 

 running a few yards in front of the intruder, making 

 a jerking motion with their tails a movement 

 which quickly betrays them. The observer will 

 never know how many birds there are until they get 

 up and go away, maybe right from under his feet. 

 And this in whatever plumage or season. Upon one 

 occasion a party of naturalists were anxious to obtain 

 a bird in breeding plumage, but up to luncheon time 

 had failed. As the panniers were being repacked 

 one of the straps fell from the pony and on to the 

 back of a sitting bird. The search for the nest had 

 been a protracted one, and no foot of ground had 

 been missed except that beneath the " sheltie.'' 



