134 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



before the eye of their lady friends. Presumably the 

 cock who could knock all the other cocks off the tree 

 won the pool ! 



Capercaillie are said to indulge in the same queer antics 

 and similarly to have their allotted tournament grounds. 

 The mating call of the male bird, which is also his challenge, 

 is, however, very different, consisting of two syllables 

 uttered over and over again. It is most generally heard 

 just after sunset, and when one is living amidst woods 

 where capercaillie are abundant it becomes somewhat 

 tiresome by its iteration and persistency. 



The capercaillie of this country have a peculiar history. 

 At one time the species was comparatively abundant, 

 but early in the sixteenth century it began to suffer from 

 a phenomenal period of decrease, which resulted in its 

 complete disappearance about one hundred years later. 

 In 1837-8 it was re-introduced from Sweden, and since 

 then has firmly established itself over the greater portion 

 of North Britain, where, if anything, it is still increasing. 



One constantly hears it stated that both blackgame and 

 capercaillie show a melancholy shrinkage of numbers 

 throughout Scotland, which assumption is probably due 

 to the periodical migrations already referred to. It 

 requires a long memory to cast any helpful light on the 

 facts, but certainly there is nothing made evident by the 

 study of either species which indicates that they are on 

 the downward grade. On the whole, both seem to be 

 flourishing. CapercaiUie are certainly extending their 

 range, and though this may not be said with equal truth 

 of blackgame, in that their range shows a slight shrinkage 

 of recent years, they are at any rate flourishing and in- 

 creasing where they exist, and their redistribution is 

 probably only a matter of cycle. When a species is 

 under a period of decrease certain signs at once become 

 evident to the careful observer, and these signs are 



