CAPERCAILLIE, 51 



Forest. In Ireland, Lord Bantry failed to stock the woods 

 of the neighbourhood of Glengariff, and Colonel E. H. 

 Cooper, of Markree Castle, co. Sligo, has informed the 

 Editor that his birds have all perished. 



The following description of the habits of the Capercaillie 

 is taken from Mr. Lloyd's * Field Sports of the North of 

 Europe,' written during his long residence in Sweden : — 



" The Capercali is to be found in most parts of the Scan- 

 dinavian peninsula ; indeed as far to the north as the pine- 

 tree flourishes, which is very near to the North Cape itself. 

 These birds are, however, very scarce in the more southern 

 of the Swedish jjrovinces. The favourite haunts of the 

 Capercali are extensive fir woods. In coppices, or small 

 cover, he is seldom or never to be found. Professor Nilsson 

 observes that those which breed in the larger forests remain 

 there all the year round ; but those which, on the contrary, 

 breed on the sides of elevated mountains, or in a more open 

 part of the country, in the event of deep snow, usually fall 

 down to the lower ground. 



" The principal food of the Capercali, when in a state of 

 nature, consists of the leaves and tender shoots of the 

 Scotch fir, Pinus sylvestris. He very rarely feeds upon 

 those of the spruce, Pinus ahies. He also eats juniper 

 berries, cranberries, blueberries, and other berries common 

 to the northern forests ; and occasionally also, in the winter 

 time, the buds of the birch, &c. The young Capercali feed 

 principally at first on ants, worms, insects, &c. 



" In the spring of the year, and often when the ground is 

 still deeply covered with snow, the cock stations himself on 

 a pine, and commences his love-song, or play, as it is termed 

 in Sweden, to attract the hens about him. This is usually 

 from the first dawn of day to sunrise, or from a little after 

 sunset until it is quite dark. The time, however, more or 

 less, depends upon the mildness of the weather, and the 

 advanced state of the season. During his play, the neck of 

 the Capercali is stretched out, his tail is raised and spread 

 like a fan, his wings droop, his feathers are rufiied up, and, 

 in short, he much resembles in appearance an augry Turkey- 



