144 TETRAO UROGALLUS. 



*' Tour in Scotland," (1769) is the following notice : — " Near 

 Castle Urquhart is the broadest part of the loch (Loch Ness), 

 occasioned by a bay near the castle. Above it is Glen Mori- 

 ston, and east of that Straith Glas, the Chisolm's country, in 

 both of which are forests of pines, where that rare bird, the 

 Cock of the Wood, is still to be met with ; perhaps in those 

 near Castle Grant. Formerly w^as common throughout the 

 Highlands, and was called Capercalze and Auercalze ; and in 

 the old law books Capercally."" In his British Zoology he says : 

 " This species is found in no other part of Great Britain than 

 the Highlands of Scotland, north of Inverness, and is very rare 

 even in those parts. In our country I have seen one specimen, 

 a male, killed in the woods of Mr. Chisolme, to the north of 

 Inverness."" 



The Wood Grouse is obviously a bird not fitted for the pre- 

 sent po]3ulous condition of Britain ; and, doubtless, its great 

 size, beauty, and especially the quantity of wholesome food 

 supplied by it, were the causes w^hich gave rise to its destruc- 

 tion ; just as the same circumstances have already produced 

 the disappearance of the Turkey in many parts of America, 

 where, before the axe of the white man resounded in the 

 forests, it was abundant. In the times of the Celt and the 

 Red Indian, these birds w^ere permitted to stock the woods ; 

 but when the swarms of the civilized races invaded their re- 

 spective countries, they ceased to prosper, and at length disap- 

 peared. It is indeed melancholy to think of the fate of birds 

 and men ; and, although the Capercailzie is no longer a deni- 

 zen of the wild woods of Albyn, I hope I may be excused for 

 paying this tribute to his memory, as some future historian 

 may do to that of the ancient Gael, w^hen their destiny has 

 been fulfilled. 



But Vv^e have still remaining a very fine species of Grouse, 

 inferior though it be to the great Cock of the Woods ; and hav- 

 ing done our duty to the dead, we may now turn to the living. 



