CH. XXXIV. START FOR THE MOUNTAINS. 219 



abound. The days, too, being short, and the changes 

 of weather frequent, the ptarmigan-shooter must 

 work carefully and quickly. 



Some few years back, when living in the north of 

 Scotland, I was anxious to get a few ptarmigan in 

 their beautiful winter plumage, which is as pure a 

 white as the snow itself. It was late in the season, 

 and the ground was covered with snow ; but as 

 there had been a few days' frost, the walking was by 

 no means bad ; so I determined to start in spite of 

 the cold and snow, and the grumblings of old Do- 

 nald, who had but little inclination for the pursuit. 



Our plan was to reach a shepherd's house, situated 

 about ten or twelve miles — that is to say, about four 

 hours' easy walking — up the course of the river ; 

 there we were to sleep, and to attack the ptarmigan 

 on the following day — the mountain where I ex- 

 pected to find them being situated near the shep- 

 herd's house. At the first break of day Donald 

 and I left the house, accompanied by one quiet dog, 

 whose personal inclinations tended rather to otter- 

 hunting and such like pursuits than to grouse- 

 shooting ; but his nose was so good and his intelli- 

 gence so great that in cover-shooting and rough 

 work he was invaluable. Pointers would have been 

 useless for ptarmigan in the then state of the 

 ground ; and I also thought it not unlikely that we 



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