CAPERCAILLIE 37 



smallness of his shot and the extraordinary vitality dis- 

 played by the birds. Now I often meet him shooting, and 

 a real good sportsman and a first-rate shot he is, but he 

 never speaks of the Caper save in tones of the deepest 

 respect, or acknowledges that No. 5 shot is any too small 

 for him. 



The Comte de Paris seems to be the first sportsman to 

 wish to introduce into this country the art of stalking the 

 Caper-cock in spring, when trilling his love-song ; but the 

 sport is not, and probably never will be, general, owing to 

 the scarcity of birds. This manner of slaying him is most 

 fascinating, requiring the greatest care and quickness in 

 approaching the bird whilst engaged in his song. It is 

 only during the last few bars that the stalkers have time 

 to make an advance of two or three quick steps forward, 

 for it is at this moment that the bird seems to be thrown 

 into an ecstasy of delight at the sound of his own voice and 

 to become quite oblivious to his surroundings. But woe 

 to the clumsy Nimrod who takes just one step too many 

 and is discovered in the open, or treads on some rotten 

 stick that crackles at his touch, he will have to go home 

 both unhappy and Caperless for that morning at least. 

 At this season of the year the male bird becomes most 

 extraordinarily vigilant and his sense of hearing very 

 sharp ; the breaking of a twig at a distance will at once 

 put him on his guard, and also put an end to his amorous 

 ditty, his ears being ever intent for the sounds either of 

 danger or the approach of his hated rival. 



A friend of mine, Mr. Arthur Eden, a very keen sports- 

 man and admirable shot, followed this sport annually in 

 spring for a number of years during his residence in Russia. 



