PTAinncrAN. 
9 
^voiilcl be tlie safest plan to follow a dry gully down to a l)urn which we knew fell into Glenlyon. Altliongh a 
few miles out of our load, this track would he sure to bring us home at last. The keeper, however, was so 
exceedingly confident that lie could find his way hack across the hill, tliat I at last gave way, though 
entertaining great doubts on the subject. After leaving the rocky ground we made good progress for about 
an hour and a half, 'ulien I noticed that Donalds cheerful countenance began to wear a troubled look, and 
he at length proposed that we should make casts for a large rock, which ouglit (supposing we were in the 
right line) to he at no great distance, lor half an hour we searched diligently, hut without meeting a single 
mark that would serve to guide us on our way. At length we found it useless to proceed any further in the 
direction we were going, and on retracing our steps soon got so confused, that even the trusty Donald was 
forced to confess that he was at a loss to know whicli way to turn. After wandering about all night we found 
oursel\ es, vhen the mist cleared off at daybreak, within a short distance of Doch liannoch, being then just a 
mile or t\AO further from the lodge than when Ave started for home the previous evening. TaaIcc during the 
night the unfortunate pony had been hogged, and it ivas only after an hour’s hard work that we had succeeded 
in extricating her on the second occasion. I fully expected the poor beast would need to he shot in order to 
save her from suffocation. The continuous rain of the last twelve hours had completely blackened the water in 
the spiings and hums, and, although somevliat fatigued, thirst Avas the only inconvenience from AA'hich aa^o 
suffered, our extra supplies of liquor having been cleared out by the unexpected meeting on the hill. I was in 
great doubt as to Avhether we should succeed in getting the dogs home. In order to assist them along they 
had been fastened by a line to the pony, and every time a halt Avas made, if only for a moment, the Avorn-out 
animals stretched themselves on the ground to sleep, and it Avas necessary to lift them up before they could be 
induced to proceed.” 
A few days later, being anxious to knoAv where aa"c had first missed our way, I Avent over the same ground, 
and AAas enabled to disco\mr, by the tracks of the pony, tliat after proceeding about a couple of hundred yards 
Aie had in some unaccountable manner turned round and taken a nearly op^iosite course. 
On passing the nest of the Ptarmigan on Avhich the bird had been caught by the terrier, I found she 
was sitting on only three eggs, the others having been Avitbout doubt carried off by the Eavens. While 
collecting the tail-feathers, Avhich had most probably draAAn their attention to the nest, I heard a harsh croak, 
and on looking up the Eaven was circling round above my head, only, unfortunately, out of shot. As the day 
Avas clear, I was enabled to thoroughly examine the plumage of the male Ptarmigan with the glasses, and 
obtained a much finer specimen than the one previously shot. ^s"o females Avere seen, with the exception of the 
one whose nest I visited, though seA'eral miles of rough ground AA'ere passed over. Prom the numbers of males 
observed either strutting about on some commanding ridge or perched on the summit of a large stone, it was 
obvious that many pairs must resort to this range of hills ; in every direction they were calling and croaking 
defiantly, disporting themselves aaEIi drooping wings and elevated and expanded tails *. The cocks in the 
nest plumage I remarked were by far the most ostentatious in their behaviour. There appears to be a great 
diversity in the colouring of the males ; several were noticed exhiliiting but a few dark feathers on the breast ; 
t lese were probably young and backAvard birds of the previous season. 
* The feathers of the tail are raised aod spread out like a fan, giving a most comical appearance to the bird. 
