THE FRINGE OF THE MOOR' 247 



favourite trees for residence, and being found perched 

 there with monotonous regularity. They do not seem 

 to acquire in Scotland (the only part of the British 

 Islands where they can be found) even the wildness 

 of habit which makes the pursuit of them so exciting 

 in Germany and Austria. But as they that is, the 

 cocks only, for a hen is never shot are only pursued 

 in the latter countries in the breeding season, and are, 

 in fact, slain in the act of carolling forth the song of 

 love, I confess to but little sympathy for the sport. 



But when you have to deal with one that is driven 

 to you, be not deceived by his size or the com- 

 paratively slow beat of his wings. He is going fully 

 as fast as a blackcock or a grouse, and unless you 

 hit him in the head you need not trouble to fire. I 

 once missed five old cocks in one drive, none of them 

 more than thirty-five yards off, from misjudging their 

 pace, and probably also in some degree their distance 

 from me. All that can be said about them has been 

 admirably put by Mr. Millais in his book ' and by 

 Lord Charles Kerr in the Badminton Library. '- 



Last, but not least, we must breathe the keen air 

 and tread the summer snows of the high tops, while 

 we attack the shy and graceful ptarmigan. 



1 Game Birds and Shooting Sketches. 

 " Hfoor and Marth, p. 53. 



