"Snow wreaths, many feet deep, ttill lingered." 



THE PTARMIGAN 



HE Ptarmigan is essentially 



Ta bird of mountain and 

 mist. It represents the 

 dreary solitudes of Nature 

 where silence is almost 

 eternal. So far as our 

 islands are concerned the 

 species is only found north 

 of the Tweed. Its sober coat of mixed 

 greys and browns harmonises so perfectly 

 with the natural surroundings of the 

 creature that it can scarcely be detected 

 even when crouching at one's feet. As 

 if conscious of this advantage the bird 

 will often allow the wayfarer to pass it 

 within a few paces without stirring. 



I remember on one occasion, with a 

 friend, climbing a mountain nearly four 



thousand feet in height for photographs 

 of this species at home. In order to 

 enjoy the advantage of the cool hours 

 wherein to climb with our weighty ap- 

 paratus, we started out at midnight. 

 About 4 a.m. we reached the elevation 

 at which snow-wreaths, many feet deep, 

 still lingered, although it was close upon 

 midsummer. My friend took me to a 

 Ptarmigan's nest which he had found 

 a few days previously, but as I was 

 somewhat fastidious about figuring a 

 bird in a situation I considered more 

 typical of the species, we wandered 

 along the mountain side to another of 

 which he had knowledge. Alas ! the 

 hoody crows or herring gulls, both of 

 which were breeding at a lower elevation, 



