THE CAPERCAILLIE 



TETRAO UROGALLUS 



Capull-coillb (Gaelic) ; Auerhahn [German) ; Gludar (Russian). 



Concerning the derivation of the Gaelic word Capercaillie 

 not a little doubt exists. By some it is suggested that the 

 word should read Cabharcoille, which would signify, " The 

 Old Bird of the Woods." Others say that the word may 

 be derived from Gabharcoillc, " The Goat of the Woods," 

 in allusion to the long feathers on the throat of the male. 

 I am inclined to believe that the latter interpretation is 

 the more likely of the two. The history of the Capercaillie 

 in Scotland is an interesting one. In former times, when 

 the great Caledonian forest covered hundreds of thousands 

 of acres, the bird was found through a wide extent of the 

 country, but owing to various causes — chiefly, I believe, 

 to the destruction of the ancient woodlands — had become 

 extinct by the second half of the eighteenth century. 

 In 1827 a numljcr of Capercaillie were brought across 

 from Sweden, and were liberated at Mar Lodge, on the 

 upper reaches of the Dee. This attempt at introduction 

 was a failure, however, but a second effort, made ten years 

 later at Taymouth, was entirely successful. From Perth- 

 shire the Capercaillie has spread over a large extent of 

 Scotland. In Aberdeenshire it is numerous in localities 

 favourable to its habits, and is found also in the counties 

 of Elgin, Nairn, Inverness, Ross and Cromarty. 



The favourite haunt of the Capercaillie is a forest of 

 Scots pines aged from eighty to a hundred years. Trees 

 of this advanced age are, I think, preferred to younger 



