138 PROTECTION AGAINST BIRDS. 



SECTION II. THE CAPERCAILZIE AND OTHER GROUSE. 

 1. Damage Done. 



The capercailzie, which frequents extensive tracts of moun- 

 tain forests, injures nurseries and cultivations of conifers in 

 winter and spring by biting-off buds and young shoots ; in 

 nurseries, when the buds of the plants just appear above the 

 snow, they are frequently cut-off in great numbers by these 

 birds, the cock being more injurious than the hen. Birch- 

 buds and small green pine-cones are also eaten. The caper- 

 cailzie in winter frequents old woods with advance-growth, and 

 feeds chiefly on the needles and buds of old spruce trees, but 

 is very fond of the buds of neighbouring young spruce. In 

 Scotland it prefers Scots pine. In the spring it scratches 

 the soil in search of insects and worms. 



The black-grouse lives in mossy heather-land, and does 

 much less harm to forests than the capercailzie. It eats the 

 buds and inflorescence of birch and other broad-leaved species, 

 and attacks buds of conifers and young needles of the larch, 

 but chiefly nourishes itself with berries and small shrubs 

 (bilberry, heather, etc.), and keeps itself alive in winter by 

 eating needles of old spruce trees. It goes higher in the 

 mountains than the capercailzie. 



The hazel-grouse is chiefly found in broad-leaved woods, in 

 the Austrian Alps and the Eussian Baltic Provinces ; it feeds 

 during winter on birch and alder buds and hazel-catkins. In 

 summer it chiefly eats berries, but does less harm than black 

 game. 



Pheasants scratch-up sowings in the forest, and nursery 

 seed-beds. 



2. Protective Rules. 



Fence-in nurseries with tall thorny bushes, as the 

 capercailzie is very shy, and avoids places so protected. 



Branches of spruce, etc., may be laid over sowings to 

 impede the movements of the birds, and nursery seed-beds 

 may be protected with wire-netting. Buy transplants. 



