CHAPTER III. 



ANTIQUITY OF THE SPECIES, AS SHOWN IN BONE CAVES. 



OF the antiquity of the Capercaillie we have evidence 

 amongst the kitchen-middens of Denmark, where, as has 

 been shown by Mr. Lubbock ( l Nat. Hist. fieview,' Oct. 1861, 

 and Jan. 1862), and by Professor Newton (' On the Zoology 

 of Ancient Europe,' 1862, p. 10), some bones of this species 

 were identified. It is shown also that these kitchen-middens 

 must be of great age, as the present old beech-groves of 

 Denmark must have been preceded by an epoch of oak 

 forest, " extending over several generations of trees," and 

 that this oak-epoch was preceded by the era of pine, which 

 alone could have supported the Capercaillie. The discovery 

 of these Capercaillie remains created almost as much interest 

 as that of the bones of the Great Auk (Alca impennis) in the 

 same kitchen-middens. 



Kemains were also found in the caves of Aquitaine 

 ('Encyc. Brit!, 9th ed., vol. v. p. 53) ; ('Reliquice Aquitanicce '). 

 Professor Newton has quoted for me the passage in full : 

 "The Capercaillie is rare in the caves. I first recognised 

 its remains in the station of Saleve (near the shore of the 

 Lake of Geneva), and at Verezzi (in Liguria). Afterwards I 

 found this species at Bruniguel and Lacombe-Tayac ; but it 

 is represented there by only a small number of bones." 



The fact is not to be passed by without remark that there 



