THE GROUSE SUBFAMILY 15 



The descent to lower levels, on the part of the capercaillie, at the 

 end of the autumn, however, is not universal, for it would seem the 

 old males but seldom forsake the high ground, while, on the other 

 hand, it is not uncommon for an odd male or two, and a few females, 

 to remain on the lower ground to breed. 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant's account l of the capercaillie, while confirming 

 that of Mr. Millais, omits any direct reference to these seasonal 

 movements from the higher to lower ground, though they are 

 perhaps implied in his remarks. It is a bird, he says, of the pine 

 forests, and spends the greater part of its time in the branches, 

 feeding on the tender shoots of spruce and larch, but it is fond of 

 various ground fruits, in search of which it wanders to comparatively 

 open country, far from woods, and displaying a great liking for 

 grain, visiting the stubbles in fine weather. 



There is a puzzling discrepancy in the accounts which have 

 been rendered of the habits of black-game, even in the records of 

 those who, both as ornithologists and sportsmen, must be regarded 

 as authorities on this subject; a discrepancy perhaps traceable to 

 differences of behaviour due to local conditions which have escaped 

 the notice of the authors of these records. No useful purpose would 

 be served, even if our space permitted, by collating all the varied 

 statements which have been made on this theme ; it must suffice to 

 take the evidence of the three men best qualified, perhaps, to speak 

 as to the life-history of the game-birds of these islands Mr. Abel 

 Chapman, Mr. Ogilvie-Grant, and Mr. Millais. According, then, to 

 Mr. Chapman, black-game assemble into parties about the end of 

 September. These packs, from a dozen to fifty or one hundred 

 strong, "cocks and hens together," may at this season be readily 

 detected, being always, whether resting or feeding, in the open ; since 

 now, having finished their moulting, they disdain concealment. 

 During October they abandon the higher moorland and resort to 

 lower grounds adjacent to tillage, haunting the stubbles, and feeding 



1 W. R. Ogilvie-Graut, Lloyd's Natural History : Game-Birds, vol. i. 



