124 GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 



nrigan ; for, though naturally unsuspicious and 

 easy of approach, yet the toil to be endured 

 and difficulties to be overcome before these 

 Alpine heights can be reached, are much in- 

 creased by the impossibility of following the 

 birds from one rocky corry to another, separated 

 perhaps by a giddy precipice, over the edge of 

 which they have suddenly disappeared from the 

 view of the wearied shooter. A circuit of con- 

 siderable extent must frequently be taken, and 

 many a steep acclivity or dangerous descent 

 encountered, before they can be found again ; 

 while there is small chance of relieving this 

 tedious interval by a stray shot at any other 

 bird or quadruped, except the grey hare, who 

 seems to share with the ptarmigan the occu- 

 pation of these inhospitable regions, while they 

 both undergo a nearly analogous change in their 

 seasonal variations of fur and feather. 



It is certainly a remarkable circumstance in 

 the natural history of our game birds, and a 

 striking instance of the merciful dispensations of 

 Providence, that those which inhabit the most 

 northern and inclement quarters are the earliest 

 in season ; or, in other words, arrive first at full 

 growth, and are therefore soonest enabled to 

 brave the rigours of the coming winter. Thus, 

 the young ptarmigan is able to fly before the red 



