ul, of a rich brown colour,
spotted with black, and both herself and her mate attend the young with
great assiduity. The brood continue in company during the winter, and
often unite with other broods, forming large packs, which range the high
moorlands, being usually shy and difficult of approach. Various berries,
such as the cranberry, the bilberry, together with the tender shoots of
heath, constitute the food of this species. The plumage is a rich
colouring of chestnut, barred with black. The cock grouse in October is
a very handsome bird, with his bright red comb erected above his eyes,
and his fine brown plumage shining in the sun.

[Illustration: GROUSE.]

The ptarmigan grouse is not only a native of Scotland but of the higher
latitudes of continental Europe, and, perhaps, the changes of plumage in
none of the feathered races are more remarkable than those which the
ptarmigans undergo. Their full summer plumage is yellow, more or less
inclining to brown, beautifully barred with zig-zag lines of black.
Their winter dress is pure white, except that the outer tail-feathers,
the shafts of the quills, and a streak from the eye to the beak are
black. This singular change of plumage enables it, when the mountains
are covered with snow, to escape the observation of the eagle, Iceland
falcon, and the snowy owl: the feathers become much fuller, thicker, and
more downy; the bill is almost hidden, and the legs become so thickly
covered with hair-like feathers, as to resemble the legs of some
well-furred quadruped.

* * * * *

PATMOS.

[Illustration: Letter P.]

Patmos affords one of the few exceptions which are to be found to the
general beauty and fertility of the islands of the Aegean Sea. Its
natural advantages, indeed, are very few, for the whole of the island is
little else than one continued rock, rising frequently into hills and
mountains. Its valleys are seldom susceptible of cultivation, and
scarcely ever reward it. Almost the only spot, indeed, in which it has
been attempted, is a small valley in the west, where the richer
inhabitants have a few gardens. On account of its stern and desolate
character, the island was used, under the Roman Empire, as a place of
banishment; and here the Apostle St. John, during the persecution of
Domitian, was banished, and wrote the book of the Revelations. The
island now bears the name of Patino and Palmosa, but a natural grotto in
the ro