0 
PTAliMIGAN. 
of the wintry blasts and driving storms, as well as the dangers of tlie frozen sheets of ice, which any hio-h- 
couraged dog will attempt to cross if despatched in search of a dead bird, I always prefer to leave my faithful 
followers at home w'hen in pursuit of winter Ptarmigan. 
Although I have visited at different times during my wanderings in the north several Ptarmigan-ranges in 
the counties of Inverness, Poss, and Sutherland, in each of Avhich the nature of the country varies considerablv 
the whole of the specimens I collected were obtained in the north-west of Perthshire. Between 1865 and 1868 
I had many opportunities, at all seasons, for making observations. My notes contain repeated accounts 
of sport on the hill-tops during autumn ; but as one day’s work much resembles that of another, it will he 
useless to make any lengthened extracts. The greatest draw'back to the sport in this part of the country is 
the steep and dangerous nature of the bill-side over which it is necessary to follow the packs. There is no 
little difficulty and risk in making a successful shot at a bird rising unexpectedly while picking one’s way 
across loose and slippery flakes of stone, overhanging perhaps a precipice of some hundred feet in height, or 
climbing a steep mountain-slope among huge blocks of rock and granite. Though Ptarmigan, when driven 
up from their accustomed feeding-grounds in the vicinity of the short green herbage and stunted vegetation that 
alone flourish on the hill-tops, often seek refuge in the rough and stony gullies, such localities are by no means 
their favourite haunts ; unless previously disturbed or constantly harassed, they are seldom found harbourinf» 
in such inhospitable quarters. 
A short extract from my notes for 1865 will give some slight idea of the difficult nature of the ground 
in the west of Perthshire. When shooting in this part dogs were seldom employed : forming five or six 
keepers and gillies in line, some ten or a dozen yards apart, I usually took one of the higher stations, and in 
this manner we made our wmy over the rough ground. 
“ September G. Light breeze from the north-west ; weather favourable in every respect. Tried the 
top of Benderg for Ptarmigan. The first time of going round the hill a large pack rose among the 
broken stones on the east side. Though scattered, the whole number sprung within tw'enty yards; the 
ground, however, was so dangerous as to preclude all chance of a shot. A few moments later a single bird, 
which had remained behind, was detected running in front of the line, and on taking wing wns eventually 
bagged. A couple of hundred yards further on the pack was found again, and a second time escaped from 
the same cause, the wffiole of this face of the hill being almost impassable. The old cock on this occasion 
separated from the rest of the pack, and marking the ledge on which he pitched, I was able to scramble up, 
and succeeded in obtaining a shot. A thick mist now came suddenly up, Avith a cold breeze, and it became 
exceedingly dark. During a slight break in the clouds a low croak was iieard, and a couple of young birds 
w'ere discovered squatting on a knoll within the distance of five and twenty yards. As they rose I fired; but 
on reaching the spot, not even so much as a feather could be found. After hunting about for some time 
with no further results, it appeared that botli birds must have escaped. As it Avas noAV too dark to proceed, and 
the drizzle had increased to a shoAver, a halt Avas made and lunch brought out. In less than half an hour the 
mist and rain cleared off and the sun again broke through. A setter Avhich had been kept up all the 
morning, oAving to the rough and stony ground across AAdiich Ave had been Avorking, Avas now tried. On being 
loosed he did not moAm above half a dozen paces before he stood, then drcAV on a fcAV yards and stood again , 
and on looking just in front of him the tAVO birds Averc discovered close together, one unable to fly and the 
other retaining sufficient strength to flutter doAvnhill. The latter, being shot, rolled to the foot of the rocks 
and caused some delay before it was retrieved. Having noAV as many birds as Avere needed and a long tramp 
before us, we turned homewards. On reaching the flat ground on the summit of the hill a single old 
bird persisted in running just in front of us, jerking his tail in such an insulting manner that I could not 
resist shooting him Avhen he rose.” 
Many more extracts concerning the shooting of autumn birds during the seasons of 1865, ’66, and 67 
