SOME VISITING CARDS. 307 



There are other tracks upon the snow which 

 it may be well just to mention, for they reveal the 

 presence of wild creatures, and tell us much of 

 their habits and economy. Here the brilliant 

 purity of the snow-shroud is stained and sullied 

 with drops of blood murder has been done this 

 morning among the dark foliage of the pine trees. 

 This is the mark left by the bloodthirsty Sparrow- 

 hawk ; and a little farther on a heap of feathers 

 completes the tale of death a Chaffinch, driven to 

 the firs for shelter from the snowstorm, has met 

 his doom. The same wood has been the scene of 

 another tragedy. This time a rabbit has raced for 

 his life through the snow-wreathed brambles and 

 under the broken fern. A few yards farther on 

 his blood stains the snow ; a weasel has ridden 

 him to death ; with sharp teeth meeting in his 

 neck, he has sucked his life's blood, and there 

 under the laurels he lies cold, and stiff, and dead ! 



Tracks of birds are also traced upon the snow 

 on the moors. Birds up here are scarce in winter 

 time ; still the footprints of the Red Grouse, broad 

 and bold among the heather, show distinctly ; 

 whilst the mountain-tops are traced with the 

 moccasined feet of the Ptarmigan ; and in among 

 the pine woods, lower down the valley, the big 

 footprints of the Capercailzie and the smaller ones 

 of the Black Grouse are frequent enough amongst 

 the trees and on the broad branches. 



Such is a little of the interest to be derived 

 from tracking from tracing out the various 



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