C H A P T E Pt I. 



Thk ( 'ai'KRcali. — Georjrniihieal Limits. — Accideutal Varieties. — Sterile 

 Hens. — Foo<l. — Roosting in the Snow. — Partial Jligrations. — 

 Bewilderment. — Pugnacious Disjio^ition. — Tlie Boy and Capercali. — 

 Bewitched Bird. 



/^P the Scandinavian game-birds, the Capercali, oi- 

 ^'^ Capercailzie, the largest of the European Gallinpc 

 {T/ddrr, 8\v.; T/'iir (mnle), Bui (female), Norw. ; Tetrao 

 JJrocjdllus, Linn.), which is to the forests of Northern 

 Europe and Asia what the wild turkey is to those of North 

 America, takes undoubtedly the first place. Part of what 

 follows i-especting this noble bird appeared, I should 

 remark, in a former work of mine, " Pield Sports of 

 the North of Europe ;" but as it has lately been intro- 

 duced into Scotland, and with every prospect of success, I 

 feel fully assured, that all the details I can give in regard 

 to its habits, &c., cannot but interest the reader. 



The Capercali has a wide geographical range, extend- 

 ing at least from the vicinity of the Prozen Ocean to the 

 Spanisli Pyrenees. Temminck says, indeed, it has been 

 met with in some of the Islands of the Grecian Arclii- 

 jjelago, in Siberia, and throughout a large portion of the 

 llussian Empire in Europe (including Poland and Livonia). 

 In the mountainous and wooded districts of ilungary, 

 Germany, and Switzerland, it is met with more or less 



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