60 The Scottish Naturalist. 



biscuit, and retires to consume it, which he usually does within a few yards 

 of the shop-door. The solicitation for the coin is done by pawing the ex- 

 pected donor, and the pawing instantly stops when the coin is delivered to 

 the dog. Towser's custom is not confined to one special baker or grocer, 

 but he drops his change at any shop where biscuits are sold ; and I could 

 name one baker and three grocers who have Towser in their books. Of a 

 Saturday night, when his master and he may lounge about the street getting 

 and receiving attentions, as is wont, Towser has been seen to get as many 

 as half-a-dozen halfpennies, all of which he changed into biscuits, and by a 

 process of ratiocination thought nothing of it if the fun was general. Some- 

 times he will take it into his. head to barter his halfpenny with his master's 

 wife for a piece of pork — but this is when he is not so hungry, or when sati- 

 ated ; and if hungry, he prefers his biscuit to swine's flesh. One other marked 

 feature in Towser's dealings is, that he retains his halfpenny till the subject 

 of exchange is laid down, be it biscuit or flesh; and he seems never to lose 

 sight of the elementary principle of a sound commercial policy. He has 

 been known to sulk and turn a disdainful eye on any one who tried to cheat 

 him with something that was not a coin ; and farewell to any interchange of 

 courtesy, at least for the night, with one who was dastard enough to fool him. 

 On one occasion, however, Towser himself gave way to a trick, — let us hope 

 it was frolic. One clay he paid the baker for a halfpenny biscuit with a 

 farthing, and ran off with some evidences of glee before the seller had time to 

 detect the mistake. The baker would fain convince me that there was a 

 glimmer of joy in Towser's eye as he went off with more hurry than usual, 

 which was explained by the dividend. His master, being a carpenter, has 

 frequently written a message on a spill of wood or piece of paper, and sent 

 Towser miles with the billet to the workshop for an answer, which was 

 effected by his speedy return with a small parcel of nails or tape, or suchlike, 

 that had been required in an emergency. Messages such as these have been 

 repeatedly fulfilled by Towser with much fidelity. Towser's duty, for which 

 it may be said he earns his bread, is to watch at night his master's wood- 

 yard. On one occasion, when he was only a year old, he recognised on the 

 street a person who was suspected of having taken some wood overnight 

 when Towser was on the chain, and by growls and threats raised a suspicion 

 that was afterwards verified. The whole bearing of the dog is contempla- 

 tive, and his character is highly companionable and attached. In addition 

 to his general character for intelligence, he often strolls alone, returning 

 home guiltless of any wickedness, and seemingly wiser and better for his 

 contemplation. — William Japp, Alyth, 3U/ January. 



The Capercaillie in Scotland. — I am still endeavouring to keep records of 

 the advance of the Capercaillie throughout Scotland ; and with the view of 

 another appendix shortly, I write to ask if any readers of the ' Scottish 

 Naturalist' have kept any notes on the subject since the date of my last 

 (Scot. Nat., July 1880). If so, I shall feel obliged by their communicating 

 them to me. I have already collected some additional material ; and I pro- 

 pose, when a sufficiency comes to hand, to send the appendix to the Editor if 

 he will accept of it. The districts from which I especially desire new statis- 

 tics are as follows : — 



Southward of the line of the Firth of Forth and Clyde Canal, and of the 

 Firths of Forth and Clyde. 



