232 CAPERCAILZIE AND PTARMIGAN 



their money, are unduly severe on black-game. The 

 worst offenders in this respect are those who rent a 

 shooting for a single season. Grey-hens are shot, often 

 before the legitimate day, and immature poults pay the 

 penalty of weak, heavy fliers. Indeed, had pheasants 

 been treated in the same way without the aid of hand- 

 rearing, they would have become extinct in this country 

 long ago. The season for shooting black-game should 

 be the same as that for pheasants ; instead of beginning 

 on August 20th, it should be deferred till October 1st, 

 and instead of ending [on December 10th, it should go 

 on through January, when the cocks are in their finest 

 plumage. Moreover, attempts should be made to 

 replenish the stock of black-game by hand-rearing, 

 which is much easier carried out with polygamous birds 

 than with those which pair. 



LXXXVIII 



While we are grieved to note the diminution in 

 the numbers of black -game in some parts of this 



Ca ercailzie ^ s ^ an( ^ ( tnev are not f un< l at a ll m Ireland), 

 and it is a pleasure to think that the other 

 anmgan. gyj^jgjj members of the grouse tribe never 

 were more abundant. Capercailzie are spreading 

 steadily wherever suitable tracts of wood exist, and 

 although they are of indifferent repute for the larder, 

 the restoration of these splendid birds to our native 

 fauna, after a period of complete extinction, is matter of 

 satisfaction to every lover of wild things. Attempts to 

 restore ptarmigan to the hills of Galloway, whence they 



