CAPERCAILLIE. 53 



buries himself in the snow. Considering the large size of 

 the bird, his flight is not particularly heavy or noisy." Mr. 

 Lloyd has not only seen this bird at a very considerable 

 height in the air, but has known him take a flight of several 

 miles at a time. " The Capercali lives to a considerable 

 age; at least so I infer," says Mr. Lloyd, " from the cocks 

 not attaining to their full growth until their third year or 

 upward. The old ones may be easily known from their 

 greater bulk, their eagle-like bill, and the more beautiful 

 glossiness of their plumage. The size of these birds 

 appears to depend, in a great degree, on the latitude where 

 they are found. In Lapland, for instance, the cocks seldom 

 exceed nine or ten pounds. In Wermeland, and adjacent 

 parts, again, I have never heard of their being killed of more 

 than thirteen pounds ; whilst in the more southern provinces 

 of Sweden, — and I have three several authorities for my 

 statement, — they have not unfrequently been met with 

 weighing seventeen pounds and upwards. The hen Caper- 

 cali usually weighs from five to six pounds.* 



" The Capercali is often domesticated in Sweden ; in- 

 deed, both at Uddeholm and Risater, as well as other 

 places, I have known them to be kept for a long period in 

 aviaries built for the purpose. These birds were so per- 

 fectly tame as to feed out of the hand. Their food prin- 

 cipally consisted of oats, and of the leaves of the Scotch fir, 

 Pinus sylvestris, large branches of which were usually intro- 

 duced into their cages once or more in the course of the 

 week. They were also supplied with abundance of native 

 berries when procurable. They were amply provided at all 

 times with water and sand ; the latter was of a coarse 

 quality, and both were changed pretty frequently." 



During the breeding- season the Capercaillie cock, like the 

 males of most of the polygamous birds, are very fierce, and 

 severe combats take place between rivals. Instances are 

 also on record in which old males have not hesitated to 

 attack the passers-by who infringed upon their domain, peck- 



* Mr. Haivie-Brown has informed the Editor that in Scotland the weight of 

 males rarely reaches 10 lbs., and that of females does not seem to exceed 4^ lbs. 



