34 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. (CHaP. III. 
the worst shot, an easy chance of filling his bag. When the 
weather is windy and rainy, the ptarmigan are frequently shy 
and wild; and when disturbed, instead of running about like 
tame chickens, they fly rapidly off to some distance, either round 
some shoulder of the mountain, or by crossing some precipitous 
and rocky ravine get quite out of reach. The shooting these 
birds should only be attempted on fine, calm days. The labour 
of reaching the ground they inhabit is great, and it often re- 
quires a firm foot and steady head to keep the sportsman out of 
danger after he has got to the rocky and stony summit of the 
mountain. In deer-stalking I have sometimes come amongst 
large flocks of ptarmigan, who have run croaking close to me, 
apparently conscious that my pursuit of nobler game would pre- 
vent my firing at them. Once, on one of the highest mountains 
of Scotland, a cold, wet mist suddenly came on. We heard the 
ptarmigan near us in all directions, but could see nothing at a 
greater distance than five or six yards. We were obliged to sit 
jown and wait for the mist to clear away, as we found ourselves 
gradually getting entangled amongst loose rocks, which fre- 
quently, on the slightest touch, rolled away from under our feet, 
and we heard them dashing and bounding down the steep sides 
of the mountain, sometimes appearing, from the noise they 
made, to be dislodging and driving before them large quantities 
of débris ; others seemed to bound in long leaps down the pre- 
cipices, till we lost the sound far below us in the depths of the 
corries. Not knowing our way in the least, we agreed to come 
toa halt for a short time, in hopes of some alteration in the 
weather. Presently a change came over the appearance of the 
mist, which settled in large fleecy masses below us, leaving us as 
it were on an island in the midst of a snow-white sea, the blue 
sky and bright sun above us without a cloud. As a light air 
sprung up, the mist detached itself in loose masses, and by de- 
grees drifted off the mountain side, affording us again a full view 
of all around us. The magnificence of the scenery, looking 
down from some of these mountain heights into the depths of 
the rugged and steep ravines below, is often more splendid and 
awfully beautiful than pen or pencil can describe ; and the effect 
is often greatly increased by the contrast between some peacefu 
and sparkling stream and green valley seen afar off, and the 
