50 tetraonidj:. 



of that veteran sportsman, the Lite Mr. Lloyd, who had 

 volunteered his services, and by June 24th "Larry" was 

 back at Taymouth Castle with thirteen cock and sixteen hen 

 Capercaillies, which were handed over to the successful care 

 of Mr. James Guthrie, Lord Breadalbane's head keeper. 

 More were brought over in 1838, both to Taymouth and 

 also to East Norfolk, but the latter attempt at introduction 

 was not crowned with success. By the end of 1839 there 

 appear to have been fifty-four adult Capercaillies at Tay- 

 mouth ; in 1841 favourable reports were received of the 

 hatching of eggs under grey-hens ; and by 1863 Guthrie 

 estimated the birds on the estate at 2,000. 



From Taymouth, the centre of restoration, and all along 

 the Tay valley, as far as Dunkeld, Capercaillies spread, and 

 although Perthshire still remains the head-quarters, Forfar- 

 shire ranks not far behind. In Fifeshire, where the woods 

 are of smaller extent, the species is more local, and in 

 Kinross-shire, where there are no extensive pine-woods, it is 

 comparatively rare. It is merely a straggler to Clackmannan- 

 shire, but through Stirlingshire it is advancing, and will 

 probably extend in time to the southern counties of Scot- 

 land by that route. It is needless to enumerate many 

 other localities in which Capercaillies occur, either, as in 

 Arran, owing to separate attempts to emulate the success of 

 the first experiment, or as stragglers. They are much given 

 to migration, especially from forests of an older to those of a 

 3'ounger growth, which are more suitable to their require- 

 ments of food and shelter combined. Spruce, Scotch fir and 

 larch forests are their favourite haunts, but beyond these 

 limits they are pressed by the increase of numbers ; and they 

 are now often found in coverts of birch and oak, and in autumn 

 on the heather-covered hillsides. Naturally they have followed 

 the course of the valleys, choosing by preference a southern 

 exposure : the hens preceding the males by one or two years. 



Mention has already been made of the attempt to intro- 

 duce the Capercaillie into Norfolk; and similar ill-fortune 

 has attended several other essays. The Hon. Gerald Las- 

 celles is endeavouring to introduce the species into the New 



