113 



CHAP. X. 



CAPERCAILZIE. — DESCRIPTION OF CAPERCAILZIE. — MALE BIRD 

 EASILY APPROACHED IN THE PAIRING SEASON. — ONE SEEN BY 

 ArTHOR IN GERMANY. 



" Eeturn to our woods, capercailzie, again 

 E'en their snows* could once form thee a bed. 

 The sportsman may seek thee, but seek thee in vain. 

 Ah ! why are the golden times fled, 

 From the pine's gloomy crest, when thine amorous lay 

 Low murmm-'d at dawning or setting of day." — J. Pitman. 



As the capercailzie or cock of the wood was formerly 

 found in some parts of the United Kingdom, and has 

 within a few years been again introduced into Scotland 

 by the Marquis of Breadalbane, into his extensive forest 

 and fir plantations in Perthshire, I think it will be proper 

 to give some account of this large and noble bird, whicli 

 is found in considerable numbers in the forests of 

 Grermany, Sweden, and Eussia. INIany of them may 

 be seen in the winter for sale in the poulterers' shops 

 in London, imported from these countries — formerly 

 in ice, which is not now required, in consequence of 

 the passage being made more rapidly by steam vessels. 



* Mr. Lloyd observed that when the snow is loose and soft the caper- 

 cailzie not iinfi-equently buries itself beneath the surface during the 



night. 



I 



