CAPERCAILLIE 25 



indicate the presence of danger. The hen calls in this 

 manner when wounded and running away to escape man 

 or dog. As one approaches to pick the bird up, whether 

 cock or hen, it will give vent to a peculiar loud hissing 

 noise, at the same time distending all the feathers of the 

 neck and looking somewhat fierce before you can lay your 

 hand on it, though in reality it will evince no more ferocity 

 than a Partridge. 



The formidable appearance of this grand bird when 

 winged has allowed many a sportsman's imagination to 

 get the better of his veracity. One occasionally hears 

 such remarkable and thrilling accounts of the savage 

 nature of the cock Caper when wounded, and such stories 

 of hair-breadth escapes from the beak of the infuriated 

 bird, that one really begins to wonder why the Caper 

 is so prejudiced in selecting the objects of his animosity, 

 by always choosing those unfortunates who have only 

 bearded him in his native haunts perhaps once or twice, 

 and that he never seems to think it worth his while to 

 attack men who are probably after him nearly every day 

 in the shooting-season, and who may have been compass- 

 ing his destruction for years ; at any rate, I know thirty 

 sportsmen at least, and as many keepers, who have been 

 all their lives shooting Capers and who never yet saw one 

 offer the slightest resistance. 



Seven or eight years ago, a very distinguished and 

 well-known Member of Parliament (who, if he ever reads 

 this, will probably get a bill passed excluding all naturalists 

 and other irresponsible persons from voting) was staying 

 with us, and, being most anxious to slay a cock Caper, was 

 accordingly put in the best places in the drives to try and 



