144 THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



hiaging upon the answers, from an ornithologist's point of 

 view, may, or may not, prove of value. 



Now, although the actual work of the beetle cannot be 

 confounded with what the Capercaillies do, is it not quite 

 possible that in many cases — I will not say m all — the 

 results — viz. the stunting and deforming of the young trees — 

 may have often been caused by the beetle, and the blame 

 have been laid on the Capercaillie ? 



But before quitting this part of our subject — in wliich, 

 let me say, there remains still a vast deal of investigation 

 before we can consider it exhausted — I would shortly draw 

 the attention of my readers to some other facts which must 

 be considered in the connection of " damage done to forests." 

 In the course of an examination into the " damage done 

 to forests " by another animal — the squirrel — at the distribu- 

 tion and increase of wliich, in Scotland, I am also working, I 

 find that a favourite food of the squirrel, amongst a very 

 extensive selection, consists of the shoots of fir, larch, and a 

 variety of other trees. It seems to me difficult to account for 

 the wide differences of opinion regarding the age of the trees 

 attacked by the Capercaillie, otherwise than by supposing that 

 there must be inaccuracy of observation either upon the one 

 hand or upon the other, or by supposing that both sides of 

 the question are more or less right or more or less wrong. 

 I do not wish to cast a deeper shade over the already dis- 

 reputable character which the squirrel bears amongst the 

 foresters and woodmen of Scotland — its burden is perhaps 

 already greater than it can bear — but I tliink it is quite pos- 

 sible, indeed more than likely, that the difference of opinion 

 already taken notice of is traceable to the more regular 

 attacks of the nimble little quadruped, whose weight is not so 

 great as that of the Capercaillie, and would not prevent it 

 from reaching the leading shoots at almost any age of the 

 trees. Many will say at once that the traces of squirrel's 



