' THE FRINGE OF THE MOO A" 251 



Ptarmigan, like all other birds, are much in- 

 fluenced by the wind, and should your march run 

 along the top of the hill it is useless to go out unless 

 the wind favours their lying on your side ; otherwise 

 every bird on the hill will be over the march, and 

 though you may get a splendid walk, you will make 

 but a poor bag of either birds or hares. 



Where possible, separate into two parties, so as to 

 drive birds to one another, and in this way each party 

 is likely to be of service to the other in retrieving 

 wounded birds. The valleys, which they cross in a 

 few seconds and with consummate ease, are almost a 

 day's work for men to traverse ; and somehow the 

 idea of leaving these beautiful birds to a lingering 

 death in their own wild home is peculiarly repugnant 

 to the feelings of a good sportsman. 



To revert to the lower ground, I think that 

 where you have, in addition to grouse, a large stock 

 of black-game, the interests of the farmers should be 

 borne in mind. There is no doubt that when the 

 corn is standing in stocks a large flock of these birds, 

 visiting the fields every night and morning, will 

 destroy a large amount of grain. You will find your- 

 self all the more popular in the glen if you visit them 

 on off days when keen on this food, and a beautiful 

 afternoon's sport may be enjoyed by lying in wait for 



