244 



COMMON PTARMIGAN. 



to deal with are more familiar to us accompanied by 

 bread sauce, brown gravy, and currant jelly, than they 

 are in their native state. 



Very few of us will have met with the Ptarmigan, 

 for it is only found on the bare and bleak tops of some 

 of the highest mountains in Scotland, though in the 

 winter it will descend some little way down the sides 





COMMON PTARMIGAN. 



for protection. It is said to have formerly occurred in 

 the mountains of Cumberland and Wales, but the evi- 

 dence on this point is very unsatisfactory. The bird 

 seems to revel in the snow, and will consume it, in- 

 stead of descending to the burns for water. " During 

 the night," says Meyer, " the Ptarmigan resorts to the 

 shelter afforded by a stone or heath plant, or by the 



