DECREASE OF BLACK GAME. 121 



fere with black game. From other sources I gather the fact 

 that, in many districts remote from the area inhabited by 

 Capercaillies, black game have become much scarcer, or have 

 almost disappeared within the last few years ; indeed, the 

 complaint is no uncommon one, although in some cases a 

 reason for the decrease cannot with certainty be assigned. 

 This last fact proves, at all events, that there are other 

 " environing causes " at work, modifying and restricting the 

 numbers of black game, and that it is unfair to heap all the 

 blame, if indeed any of it, upon the Capercaillie : that, in fact, 

 it would be judicious to pause before summarily condemning 

 the panel. 



To endeavour to discover and make plain to my readers 

 some of these other causes of the decrease of black game is 

 the object of this section. 



At Dalnaglar, a property in Glenshee, Perthshire, as I 

 am informed by the proprietor, black game were " extremely 

 abundant fifteen years ago." Capercaillies arrived there about 

 1865, when black game were stiU plentiful, and rapidly 

 increased in numbers in a large pine wood of some 300 acres 

 in extent, the largest suitable cover for the species in Glen- 

 shee. For the last ten years (prior to 1878) drainage opera- 

 tions have been carried on more or less : previous to that 

 time no draining had been done for ten years. No young 

 plantations have been formed, and all the wood on the 

 property is now nearly, or quite, ready for cutting. Black 

 game have decreased to such an extent that at one time they 

 became almost extinct, and the proprietor had to re-introduce 

 them by eggs from counties south of the Firth of Forth. I 

 myself will not be surprised to learn some day that even the 

 Capercaillies will change their residence and remove to more 

 eligible covers, unless young plantations be started on 

 Dalnaglar. 



We have seen that attempts to introduce Capercaillies to 



