PARTIAL MIGRATIONS. " 9 



" The remainder now moved off, and in the same 

 direction their comrades had taken ; but still I perceived 

 they flew beyond the wooded hill. In anticipation of 

 their return, I remained in my hiding-place until broad 

 daylight, but saw no more of them. 



" I now returned home for my dogs, and for several 

 hours carefully searched all the woods in the vicinity ; 

 though without avail, for not a single Capercali was to 

 be found anywhere. To judge from the quantity of 

 droppings on the wooded hill named, their numbers, 

 supposing they had only been there for a few days, as 

 stated, must have been very much greater than just men- 

 tioned. And though I renewed the search on the two 

 following days, as also a short time afterwards, it was 

 with no better success. The birds were never again seen 

 there, nor could I learn that they had been observed else- 

 where in the parish. During the succeeding spring, 

 moreover, not more Capercali were met with thereabouts 

 than usual. 



" From their plumage, and the strength of their lower 

 mandibles, I came to the conclusion that the four Caper- 

 cali I had shot were all old birds, at least not bred that 

 year. Not one of them exceeded nine pounds in weight, 

 and they could not therefore have been natives of our 

 province, where, during the autumnal mouths, when birds 

 are in their best condition, they usually weigh ten, 

 and frequently eleven or twelve pounds. I therefore 

 considered them to be wanderers from Norrland the 

 northernmost of the main divisions of Sweden .where, as 

 known, the Capercali are smaller than those found in the 

 middle and southern parts of Sweden. 



" So far as I can recollect," M. "VVulf goes on to say, 

 " there was nothing unusual in the weather, either in 

 regard to premature snow-storms, or early night frosts, 

 during this particular autumn, as compared with those 

 of former years." 



