PARTIAL MIGEATIONS. / 



llazel-licn, the Bipa (a species of grouse, to be spoken ot 

 presently), and otlier forest birds — is, as will hereafter be 

 shown, often taken advantai^e of bv the fowler in certain 

 parts of Scandinavia. 



The fact of the Capercali thus burying itself in the 

 snow is perfectly well known to all the northern chasseurs. 

 More than once, indeed, when I have been traversing 

 the forest soon after daybreak, a whole pack of these 

 birds has suddenly risen near me from out of the snow. 

 And even in the middle of the day, single birds have 

 frequently flown up at my very feet ; but whether 

 these had been in the snow over-night, or had recently 

 dived into it, I cannot say. 



When thus snugly buried in the snow, in fancied 

 security, it often falls a victim to the fox, or others of its 

 numerous enemies, who, guided by their unfailing scent, 

 find out its hiding-place and pounce upon it. 



Though the Capercali comes under the category of 

 Sla)/d-Foglar,* it happens during certain years, espe- 

 cially in the northern portions of the jieninsula, that 

 numbers of these birds strdcka, or partially migrate ; 

 so that districts where they previously abounded, become 

 almost denuded of them ; whilst in other districts where 

 they had before been very scarce, they suddenly appear 

 in large packs, consisting generally of males alone. This 

 will be better understood from the following quotations : — 



" One day in October, 1807, when I was doing duty 

 in the parish of Svennevad, in the province of Nerike," 

 writes the Bev. J. Wulf, " a peasant came to me and 



* The leai-ued in Sweden class the birds belonging to their fauna under 

 three several heads, viz. : — 1. Stand-Foglar, tha.tis, such birds as remain 

 all the year round in the district where they are bred. '2. Strdck-Foglar, 

 or those that at times wander far away from the jilace of their birth, but 

 do not leave the peninsula. ■^. Flytt-Foglar, or such as migrate to other 

 countries on the ajiproach of wintei'. 



