BRITISH BIRDS 



and, when once started, few birds can disappear more quickly than Ptarmigan, as 

 they wheel over the brink of a precipice and dive into space. 



They are much affected by weather conditions, being more easily approached on 

 still sunny days, when they will often run before the intruder without taking wing ; 

 on the other hand, when a change to wind and rain takes place, they become wild and 

 suspicious. 



Ptarmigan seem well aware of the safety afforded by their highly protective 

 colouring. I once observed an instance of this when watching some birds feeding on 

 an eagle-haunted hill on the forest of Gaick ; they hurriedly crossed open patches of 

 stunted heather and blaeberry in a rather nervous manner, but appeared quite at 

 home when they reached the shelter of broken stones and rocky debris. 



The Golden Eagle and Hill Fox are their chief enemies ; these appear to be the 

 cause of the scarcity of this species on many hills where it was once common. 



They are hardy birds, and brave extreme cold and very severe weather as long 

 as they can get at their food on snow-slips and wind-swept stretches on mountain 

 sides. 



In the plate the lower figures represent the birds in late autumn, the more 

 distant one showing the intermediate stage of plumage between that season and 

 the snowy white of mid-winter. 



The male may always be distinguished from the female by the black band of 

 feathers, reaching from the bill through the eye to the ear-coverts. 



72 



