90 THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



The only one ever heard of actually within the confines of 

 the county, was flushed at Kearnine (?) Wood, at the higher 

 end of Loch Lomond — as Mr, John Colquhoun informs me — 

 but he adds that he is rather sceptical about it. Mr. John 

 Colquhoun offered to introduce them on Eossdhu estate, but 

 his brother — the late Sir James Colquhoun, Bart. — did not 

 wish to encourage them, as he considered that they give little 

 sport, and are overbearing to all other game witliin their reach. 

 If this record is correct — and I must say I see no reason why 

 it should not — the bird probably found its way from that 

 point on the west slope of Ben Laoigh, whence they found 

 their way also into Argyleshire, at Ardkinglass {q. v.) Either 

 route is open to pioneer birds from the said shoulder of Ben 

 Laoigh, though that towards Glen Fjne to Ardkinglass, may, 

 prove — and apparently has proved — the more enticing of 

 the two, as will be seen under Argyleshire. 



ARGYLESHIRE. 



Of its former occurrence in the county we have the some- 

 what vague record in the ' New Statistical Account ' of Ard- 

 chattan, where it is said, " Nor have we reason to doubt that 

 the stately Capercaillie once rejoiced amongst the fir woods of 

 Glen Etive {op. cit. p. 481). 



Besides the above, we have indications of its having lin- 

 gered in this part of Scotland perhaps as long as anywhere else, 

 as we find the name — in the form of Capull-coillc ^ — in old 

 Gaelic songs (see Part II. antea, pp. 3, 27). 



Eggs were sent to the Black Mount, by Mr. James Guthrie, 

 at Lord Breadalbane's request, but none were hatched out. I 

 am informed, however, that a bird was seen there about 1867 

 or 1868. 



^ This is the name handed down, and still used in Lochaber and adjoining 

 parts of Argyleshire, districts which — with Badenoch, Atholl, Breadalbane, 

 and Upper Braemar — have retained in greatest purity the Gaelic topogi-aphy 

 of Scotland, as we are informed by Kobertson in his work before quoted. 



