44 THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



portance to ascertain the fact exactly at which of the three 

 places they were turned off. We may, however, accept 

 " turned off at Beeston " as most likely correct. 



Mr. Gurney also tells me that a journal left by Mr. 

 LawTance Banvill was destroyed by his son. It doubtless 

 contained full notes upon Capercaillies, and it is to be regretted 

 that it was not preserved. 



In Blaine's ' Encyc. Rural Sports' (1838), however, will be 

 found a very full account of " Larry's " journey, in his own 

 words, which is weU worth perusal, but is too long for 

 quotation in this place. A short abstract will, however, pre- 

 serve the continuity of our account. 



By " Larry's " own journal it would appear that he left 

 home on the 1st April 1837, and made the Swedish coast on 

 the l7th April, and on the 20th reached Mr. Lloyd's house 

 at Venersborg. There he remained, collecting and attending 

 to the birds, which were kept in large coops, five feet by three 

 and a half feet, or thereby. Besides Capercaillies a few 

 blackcock were procured, as weU as a few eggs of both species. 

 These birds were often brought in from a considerable distance, 

 the natives having been instructed by Mr. Lloyd how to 

 capture the birds without hurting them. Larry then details the 

 troubles he encountered in finally preparmg the birds and 

 their coops for the voyage down the river to Gottenburg; 

 but finally, on the 8 th June, the birds were safely got on 

 board, and Larry took — what he then believed, was — the last 

 look of the Swedish coast on Saturday the 10th June. 



On the 19 th June Larry and the birds (in all thirty-six 

 birds, being 7 black game and 29 Capercaillies, of which latter 

 there were 13 cocks and 16 hens) landed at HuU. On the 

 21st he sailed for Dundee, where he arrived with all the birds 

 weU on the 23d. He left Dundee on the 24th, and appears 

 to have reached Taymouth the same evening — a long journey, 

 part of which was effected with a horse and cart. The birds 



