296" TETRAONID.E. 



call, eight to twelve young ones belonging to each hen. 

 They were so tame, that, like our common hens, they would 

 run forward when corn was thrown to them. They should 

 always have a good supply of sand and fresh water." 



" The young birds should be supplied with ant eggs in 

 conjunction with the materials of which the hills of those 

 insects arc composed ; hard boiled eggs are to be chopped 

 and mixed amongst fine moistened barley meal ; also pea- 

 haum and trefoil grass. They must have plenty of water, 

 which should be placed so that they cannot overturn the 

 pitcher, for they suffer very much if they get wet when 

 they are young. Dry sand and mould they never should be 

 without : when they get larger, and cabbage leaves, straw- 

 berries, cranberries, and blueberries are to be had, they are 

 fond of such food ; and when they are full grown, they eat 

 barley and wheat ; and in Avinter they should have young 

 shoots of pine and birch buds. I have seen many people 

 Avho thought they treated young birds Avell by giving them 

 juniper berries ; but they never resort to this kind of food 

 but in cases of necessity." 



I have purposely gone to considerable length in these ex- 

 tracts in reference to the modes of treating both the old and 

 the young birds in a state of confinement, because great 

 labour and very considerable sums have been expended to 

 reintroduce these magnificent birds to the forests of Scot- 

 land : several noblemen have been for some seasons past, and 

 are at present engaged in this undertaking, and others may 

 be induced to assist, from the success that has already attend- 

 ed these endeavours, and the mode of management being- 

 supplied. During the year 1838, and in the early part of 

 1839, Lord Breadalbane received at his seat in Scotland 

 forty-four Capercaillie altogether, about two thirds of which 

 were hens, and all were old and seasoned birds. This splen- 

 did collection Avas made in Sweden, Avith vast trouble and 



