DAMAGE TO GRAIN. 149 



state — as in Norway, Sweden, or Eussia — have ever done 

 damage to crops at any time, and I am borne out in this by 

 several letters from Norwegian and Swedish naturalists. 



Naturally the Capercaillie is a tame bird, at least in 

 Scotland, since the restoration of the species, but where much 

 disturbed or shot at, they soon learn to take care of themselves, 

 and do so very effectually on the whole. In the nesting sea- 

 son they become often very tame, allowing passers-by to stand 

 still and inspect them at a distance of a few paces.^ It is 

 usually, however, most difficult in an ordinary day's walk 

 through the old fir woods to obtain a shot at them, and it is 

 by driving the covers that they are usually killed in greatest 

 numbers. I am not aware that the method — in practice in 

 Norway and the north of Europe — of hunting them with a 

 dog, and approaching after the birds are " treed," is much in 

 practice anjnvhere in Scotland, although occasionally sports- 

 men stalk them with pea-rifle in hand. Mr. E. Anderson, of 

 Dunkeld, gives me an amusing account of the squirrel-like 

 actions of a hen Capercaillie when caught napping in a thick 

 fir, dodging round the tree stem, and preferring this method 

 to that of escaping by flight. It is under such circumstances 

 sufficiently exciting and interesting sport, and worthy of a 

 good marksman. 



1 On Sauchie property, in Stirlingshire, a cock bird — one of the first that 

 arrived there — used boldly to attack any girl or woman passing along the 

 avenue, close to which, and within 100 yards of the house, two hen birds were 

 at the time sitting on eggs, and several times allowed himself to get caught. 



