31 NATURALIZATION IN SCOTLAND. 



were too open to afford the Capercali adequate protection," 

 his Lordship declined my offer. 



Eor a long while no one would move in the mattei', 

 but at length, in the autumn of 1836, the late Sir 

 Thomas Fowell Buxton, then recently returned from Tay- 

 mouth Castle, where he had been much struck with the 

 great capabilities of the woods for the naturalization of 

 the Capercali, took up the affair in good earnest, and, as 

 with everything else in which his energetic mind was 

 engaged, with the determination of carrying it through if 

 possible. " Influenced by the desire, in which I am sure 

 you will concur," so he wrote to me, "to introduce these 

 noble birds into Scotland, coupled with that of making 

 Lord Breadalbane some return for his recent kindness to 

 me, I request you to procure for his Lordship, at whatever 

 cost, the requisite number." He at the same time placed 

 his head keeper at my disposal — no slight sacrifice for a 

 Norfolk game pi"eserver. It was, indeed, an onerous com- 

 mission, as prior to this time it had been a matter of diffi- 

 culty to procure even a brace of living Capercali in Swe- 

 den ; but by distributing placards throughout the country 

 offering ample rewards, and by instructing the peasants 

 how to knot their snares so as not to kill the birds, my 

 object was at length gained, and within a few months of 

 the receipt of the Baronet's letter, twenty-nine Capercali, 

 followed up shortly afterwards by twenty more, were on 

 their way from Sweden to Taymouth Castle, and with the 

 exception of a single one killed by accident, all reached 

 their destination in safety. 



The arrival of this magnificent collection in Scotland 

 created quite a sensation ; every one was delighted that 

 matters had thus far gone well, and no one more so than 

 Sir Fowell, who addressed to me a letter on the occasion, 

 somewhat too compbmentary for pul)]ication. 



Again : In September 1837, not very long after the 



