134 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. IX. 



are kept under. In the north and north-west 

 districts of the county, excepting in one or two 

 small districts, grouse are very rare indeed. In 

 Assynt, where a clever keeper and trapper is kept, 

 these birds have increased rapidly within a few 

 years. The Duke of Sutherland, I believe, only 

 preserves that part of the country nearer to Dun- 

 robin, and which is within reach of his friends. 

 Even if all his immense territory were preserved 

 and protected from vermin, &c., a great part of it? 

 from its distance, would be useless as shooting- 

 ground. No bird is handsomer or more game-like 

 than a cock gi-ouse in the spring time, as he struts 

 and crows with erect comb on some hillock, scarcely 

 taking notice of the passer by. 



86. The Ptarmigan is tolerably numerous on the 

 more lofty ranges of mountains, such as Ben Hee, 

 Ben Cleebrick, Ben Laighal, and many others, the 

 summits of which this bird frequents, seldom coming 

 down to the heather, but living, a true child of the 

 mist, above all vegetation, amongst the rocks and 

 loose stones. The Ptarmigan requires protection 

 as well as the grouse, more particularly from shep- 

 herds and their boys. 



87. The Common Pheasant is nowhere very 

 abundant in Sutherland ; in the lower districts, near 

 Dunrobin, there are some, but no great number, 



