70 THE BLOSS OCII liAF. 



Another very destructive plan of capturing the Caper- 

 cali and the Black-Cock is hy the aid of "Bloss och ILnjT 

 that is, hy torch-light and a sort of landing-net. 



As said in the first chapter, the Capercali not unfre- 

 quently passes the night huried in the snow. Of a cold 

 winter evening, therefore for on such more especially 

 they seek this warm shelter the fowlers (for there are 

 always two) proceed to that part of the forest where 

 the hirds are known to resort, and carefully watch their 

 movements; as beneath the trees on which the Caper- 

 cali were last seen perched, or in the near vicinity, they 

 are pretty sure to make their couch. When it has become 

 dark, the men set off on skidor, that, their movements 

 may be conducted more silently. One carries the JUuxn 

 and the other the JluJ or landing-net, which is provided 

 with a very long handle. When they arrive at the sus- 

 pected place they narrowly scan the surface of the snow, 

 and so soon as they discover the slightest indentation 

 or depression therein the only evidence, as already 

 said, of the presence of the birds the Jluf is at once 

 placed over the spot, and pressed down as hard as 

 possible, to prevent the captive bird from creeping be- 

 neath it and from fluttering, thereby alarming others of 

 the _//(,/ that may be lying thereabout. 



But it is only in Dalecarlia and certain other parts of 

 Scandinavia, I believe, that this plan of taking the forest 

 birds is resorted to, which perhaps is as well; for we are 

 told that, in districts where game is plentiful, two men 

 have been known thus to capture from twenty to thirty 

 Capercali and I Mack-Cock in t lie course of a single evening. 

 We are further informed that a certain individual was 

 in the habit of taking e\ery year by this means upwards 

 of a hundred of these birds. 



This method of fowling has, however, many advanta. 

 It 8 unattended with danger of any kind, is not cruel, 



