122 GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 



in Surrey, with a similar result. The late 

 Duke of Gloucester, in 1829, turned out eight 

 brace and a-half on Bagshot Heath. These birds 

 had been previously kept in confinement for 

 three years, and it was therefore hoped that the 

 inducement to wander beyond the precincts of 

 their new quarters would not be so strong as if 

 they had been but recently imported from their 

 native moors. From the day, however, on which 

 they were turned down, the keepers never met 

 with one ; but about two years afterwards, in 

 the month of July, four two old and two young 

 were seen on Cobham Heath, a larger and 

 wilder tract several miles distant. These were 

 subsequently shot as grey hens, of which a few 

 are still occasionally seen in that district. 



The ptarmigan (lag opus mutus) is now to be 

 found only on the loftiest summits of the higher 

 ranges of mountains in the central and northern 

 parts of Scotland, and on some of the western 

 islands. It was said to have existed in Wales, but 

 half a century at least must have elapsed since its 

 occurrence in that Principality. Its haunts are 

 among the snow-covered peaks and bare rocks, 

 far above the heathery regions inhabited by its 

 congener, the red grouse ; and, from the in- 

 accessible nature of these retreats, the species is 

 not likely, at least for many years, to be exter- 



