THE PTARMIGAN. 123 



minated by the hand of the sportsman. Nature 

 has, moreover, provided a safeguard in the tints 

 of its plumage ; presenting in summer a mix- 

 ture of black, yellow, white, and grey, exactly 

 resembling the colours of the mossy lichen- 

 covered rocks and stones where it lies concealed ; 

 and which, becoming gradually whiter as the 

 season advances, at last nearly assimilates itself 

 to the snows of winter ; although our Highland 

 birds seldom or never exhibit the unadulterated 

 purity that distinguishes those Lapland and Nor- 

 wegian specimens with which the London markets 

 are so plentifully supplied every year. The 

 young ptarmigans, too, evince a wonderful in- 

 stinct, during the summer, even after they have 

 attained the power of flight, in concealing them- 

 selves rapidly between the stones, and remaining 

 perfectly motionless, close to the very feet of the 

 adventurous tourist, who in vain endeavours to 

 discover them, so exactly does their colour 

 resemble that of every surrounding object; and 

 the task is rendered still more puzzling by the 

 ready wiles of the mother-bird, who, fluttering 

 and struggling in well simulated distress, has 

 distracted his attention for a moment from her 

 little ones. 



There are not many sportsmen who devote 

 much time to the exclusive pursuit of the ptar- 



G 2 



