The Scottish Naturalist. 45 



lingered until 1745. Writing in 1794, the Rev. John Grant 

 says: — "The last seen in Scotland was in the woods of Strath- 

 glass about thirty-two years ago;" but the bird must then have 

 been but a rare straggler, as is evident from a note by the 

 minister of Kiltarlity, written about the same period, in which 

 he says: — The Caperkaily, or king of the wood, said to be a 

 species of wild turkey, was formerly a native of this parish, and 

 bred in the woods of Strathglass ; one of these birds was killed 

 about fifty or sixty years ago in the church-yard of Kiltarlity, 1 ' 

 — an ominous haunt, indeed, for the last of his race. Besides 

 these notices, mention is made of the species in the statistical 

 account of Urquhart and Glenmoriston, and other parishes — all 

 records agreeing in the fact of the bird being extremely rare 

 between the years 1745 and 1760, when it apparently became 

 extinct. 



The following is a copy of a letter written in 161 7 by the 

 royal sportsman, mentioned in the account of the Pheasant 

 to the Earl of Tullibardine, ancestor of the Duke of Athole : — 



" James R., 



" Right trustie and right well beloved cosen and 

 counselled We greet you well. Albeit our knowledge of your 

 dutiful affection to the good of our service and your countrie's 

 credite, doeth sufficientlie persuade us that you will earnestlie 

 endeavour yourself to express the same be all the meanes in 

 your power; yet there being some things in that behalf requisite, 

 which seem, notwithstanding of so meane moment, as in that 

 rcgaird both you and others might neglect the same, if our love 

 and care of that, our native kingdom, made Us not the more to 

 trie their nature and necessity, and accordingly to give order 

 for preparation of everything that may in any sort import the 

 honour and credite thereof. Which consideration, a?ni the 

 known commoditie yee have to provide, capercaiUies and termi- 

 gantis, have moved Us very earnestly to request you to employ 



as yet in any numbers, but three or four are often seen together. They have 

 doubtless spread in this direction frum Tullieallan through Dunmore, where a 

 nest cf eggs was found some years ago, though not hatched on account of an 

 accident." R. G. 



