Class II. G R O U S. i6j 



THIS fpecies is found in no other part of 

 Great Britain than the Highlands of Scot- 

 land. North of Invernefs ; and is very rare even in 

 thofe parts. It is there known by the name of 

 Capercalze, Auer-calze, and in the old law books 

 Caperkally : the lad fignifying the horfe of the 

 woods ; this fpecies being, in comparifon of others 

 of the genus, pre-eminently large*. We believe 

 that the breed is extind in Ireland^ where it was 

 formerly found. 



Giraldus Camhrenfisf defcribes it under the title 

 of Peacock of the wood, from the rich green that 

 Ihines on the bread of the male. BoethiusX alfo 

 mentions it under the name oi Caper calze-, andtrue- 

 ly defcribes its food, the extreme fhoots of the 

 pine. He afterwards gives an exadl defcription of 

 the black cock^ but gives it the name of the cock of 

 the wood, a name now confined to this fpecies. 

 Bilhop Lefslyl is a third of our hiftorians who 

 makes mention of this bird along with two others 

 of the genus, the black cock and common grous j 

 but the Ptarmigan is overlooked by them. None 

 of thefe writers were converfant in the ftudy of 

 natural hiftory, therefore are very excufable for their 

 inaccuracy. 



* For the fame reafon tlie Germans call it Aur-han, or the 

 Vrus or wild ox cock. 

 t Topogr, Hibern, 706. X Defer. Regni Scotia. 7. 



II Scotia Defer. 24. 



