xii INTRODUCTION. 



local references interesting to individuals who own Caper- 

 caillie-haunted woods and forests. 



With tliis view, therefore, I caused to be printed a series 

 of queries toucliing the points I specially desired statistics 

 and information upon, and by the beginning of 1878, I was 

 engaged in sending out the circulars, receiving answers, and, 

 as far as possible, arranging the results. The final results 

 have far exceeded in interest my most sanguine expectations ; 

 though whether I have succeeded in conveying these results 

 successfully and practically to my readers in the following 

 pages it is for them to judge, not me. In the treatment of 

 the subject I cannot lay any claim to originality, nor am I 

 aware that any previously unknown facts are recorded. The 

 treatment has been forced upon me by the large accumulation 

 of data kindly put at my disposal by my many correspondents 

 in this connection. The general remarks are the outcome of 

 the statistics, and contain, I believe, little or nothing that is 

 not known or believed by some of the landed proprietors and 

 sportsmen in the area of the country inhabited by the species. 

 I liiive not attempted to give my authority for every state- 

 ment, where such a large amount of statistics came to hand. 

 Errors no doubt must have crept in in such a compilation, for 

 various reasons, but I believe that I have an authority for 

 every statistic recorded. 



I desire in this place to tliunk tliose wlio have so liberally 

 assisted me. Had it nut been for their interest in the subject, 

 tlieir never-wearying and hearty co-operation, and their 

 courteous replies to my inquiries, it is needless to say this 

 Essay could not have laid claim to the minuteness of detail 

 which I tnist it will be found to possess. Where all have 

 assisted so liberally it might seem invidious to particularise ; 



