136 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



bush in such numbers that they Hterally crowded each 

 other out — perching on the branches shoulder to shoulder, 

 each beautiful bird craning its neck to gather the berries. 

 The packs of cock birds appear to be much less systematic 

 and more happy-go-lucky in their coming and going than 

 do the packs of grey hens, which, throughout the winter, 

 live a life of the strictest routine, visiting their various 

 feeding grounds to the hour, almost to the minute, day 

 after day. 



When the country is dry and frost-bound the black- 

 game live chiefly on the catkins of silver birch and alder, 

 and an examination of the contents of their crops leads 

 one to wonder what nourishment they obtain from such 

 uninteresting and bone-dry fare. They seem, however, 

 to be well able to fend for themselves while other birds 

 are starving, as they will generally be found in quite good 

 condition at the end of a severe cold snap. 



It is generally thought that the capercaillie feed chiefly 

 on pine shoots, but the crops I have examined have 

 contained quite a small proportion of, if any, pine, but 

 have been stuflPed with the green leaves of swamp plants, 

 such as one finds about the roots of the trees in silver 

 birch swamps, also scraps of fern frond, bits of wild 

 raspberry leaf, and indeed any green tips which have 

 come the bird's way. As already stated, there are days 

 when the capercaillie forsake the pines and live entirely 

 on the ground — chiefly among the dense and swampy 

 thickets. 



