BEWILDKUMKNT. 13 



owners of Capercali forests in Scotland, and I have there- 

 fore thought it right to enter into fuller details than I 

 otherwise should have done. 



The Capercali is said at times to forflyga sig, that 

 is, to fly it knows not whither ; or rather with no fixed 

 destination. Hence it occasionally makes its appearance 

 in very singular localities. We read, for instance, that 

 "at Tistad, in Soclermanland, two Capercali cocks were 

 shot by the Baron Bengt Rosenhane, the proprietor 

 of that property, one on the roof of the mansion, and 

 the other in a high poplar tree close by. The por- 

 traits of both birds were taken and are still preserved 

 by the family." 



Again : " The late Dr. Rislacki, an ardent sportsman 

 and naturalist, whilst residing as tutor at Jacobsberg, also 

 in Sodermanlaud, left the house early one spring morning 

 on a shooting excursion ; but it being then very misty, he 

 stood for a while speculating on the weather. Looking 

 upwards through the gloom, he espied, perched on the 

 chimney top, a large bird, which he took to be an eagle- 

 owl. He fired at once, and the quarry fell down the 

 chimney. It proved to be a male Capercali." 



We also read of a clergyman in the same province, 

 who, looking one Sunday morning from his window, 

 whence he had a good view of the neighbouring church, 

 saw, through the mist, a black object wandering to and 

 fro on the roof of the sacred edifice. Feeling convinced 

 it could not. possibly be any one of the would-be hearers 

 of that day's sermon, he took his gun and shot the 

 stranger, who, as in the instance just related, proved to be 

 an old Capercali cock. 



We arc furthermore told that, " at au estate in Wer- 

 meland, one of these birds was taken alive in a pig-stye, 

 whilst in the very act of fighting with the inmates." 



These erratic wanderings of the Capercali have been 



