74 CAPE-SHEEP—CARACARA 
alone afford it food in winter. Its bones have been found in the 
kitchen-middens of Denmark, proving that country to have once 
been clothed with woods of that kind. More lately its remains 
have been recognized from the caves of Aquitaine. Its eastern or 
southern limits in Asia cannot be precisely given, but it certainly 
inhabits the forests of a great part of Siberia. On the Stannovoi 
Mountains, however, it is replaced by a distinct though nearly 
allied species, the 7. wrogalloides of Dr. von Middendorff! which is 
smaller with a slenderer bill but longer tail. 
The Cock-of-the-wood is remarkable for his large size and 
glossy-black plumage. He is polygamous, and in spring mounts to 
the topmost bough of a tall tree, whence he challenges all comers 
by extraordinary sounds and gestures; while the hens, which are 
much smaller and mottled in colour, timidly abide below the result 
of the frequent duels, patiently submitting themselves to the victor. 
While this is going on it is the practice in many countries, though 
generally in defiance of the law, for the so-called sportsman stealthily 
to draw nigh, and with well-aimed rifle to murder the principal 
performer in the scene. The hen makes an artless nest on the 
ground, and lays therein from seven to nine or even more eggs. 
The young are able to fly soon after they are hatched, and towards 
the end of summer and beginning of autumn, from feeding on the 
fruit and leaves of the bilberries and other similar plants, which 
form the undercovert of the forests, get into excellent condition 
and become good eating. With the first heavy falls of snow they 
betake themselves to the trees, and then, feeding on the pine-leaves, 
their flesh speedily acquires so strong a flavour of turpentine as to 
be distasteful to most palates. The usual method of pursuing this 
species on the Continent is by encouraging a trained dog to range 
the forest and spring the birds, which then perch on the trees ; 
while he is baying at the foot their attention is so much attracted 
by him that they permit the near approach of his master, who thus 
obtains a more or less easy shot. A considerable number, however, 
are also snared. Hybrids are very frequently produced between 
the Capercally and the Black Grousg, 7. éetriz, and the offspring 
has been described by some authors under the name of 7. medius, as 
though a distinct species. 
CAPE-SHEEP, a name absurdly given by sailors to the 
ALBATROS (Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 363). 
CARACARA, a South-American bird, so called by the natives 
of Brazil, first described and figured by Marcgrave (Hist. Nat. 
Brazil, p. 211). In 1782 it became the Falco tharus of Molina 
(Sagg. Stor. Nat. Chili, p. 264), and is the Polyborus tharus of 
1 Not to be confounded with the bird so named previously by Nilsson, which 
is an hybrid. 
