16 THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



accuracy in his description, though MacGillivray's criticism 

 is not quite correct either (op. cit. p. 143, lines 3, 4, and 5, from 

 foot of page). 



1528-29. In l The Chronicles of Scotland' 1 it is mentioned 

 that King James V. " returned to Edinburgh," and the next 

 summer (i.e. 1529) went to "Atholl to the huntis" (vol. ii. pp. 

 343-4). " The Earl of Atholl . . . maid great and gorgeous 

 provisioun for him in all thingis pertaining to ane prince . . . 

 . . . with fleshis, beiff and mutton, lamb, veill, and vennison, 

 goose, gryse, capon, cunning, cran, swan, pairtrick, plever, 

 duik, drake, brissel, cock, 2 and paunies, black-cock, and muir- 

 foull, capercailles," etc. (op. cit. p. 345). 



1578. Bishop Lesly (Desc. Eeg. Scotice ' which is dedicated 

 to Pope Gregory XIII. 'Kal. Januar.' 1578) fixes a locality 

 for the Capercaillie. The following is quoted for me by 

 Professor Newton from the edition of 1675, Eoma,p. 24 : 3 



" In E,ossia quoque Louquhabria (i.e. Lochaber) atque aliis 

 montanis locis non desunt abietes, in quibus avis qusedam 

 rarissima Capercalze, id est Sylvester equus vulgo dictu, 

 frequens sedit corvo ilia quidem minor, qusB palatum edenti- 

 cum, sapore longe gratissimo delinit. Victitat ex solis abietis 

 extremis flagellis : Alia avis est etiam in his regionibus 

 numerosa, superiore minor hirsutis pedibus palpebris rubri- 

 cantibus nostri gallum tesquorum dicunt." 



1 ' ' The Chronicles of Scotland, by Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie, Edin- 

 burgh, 1814, by John Graham DalyelL" This is the best edition, as it was 

 compiled direct from the old manuscripts, and retains the old spellings. In 

 Dalyell's edition it is said to be a quotation from a later manuscript, and it is 

 added "This passage bears strong evidence of interpolation." Mr. Thomas 

 Dickson, Superintendent, Search Department, Register House, informs me 

 that he "does not think it is mentioned" i.e. the Capercaillie "in the 

 household books of James V., in which most of the viands then in use are 

 mentioned." Extracts from this record are published by the Bannatyne Club, 

 called " E'xcerpta e libris Domicilii Jacobi V." 



2 "Brissel, cock" (sic), probably for "brissel-cock," or coq de Iroussailes, 

 as suggested in lit. by Prof. Newton. 



3 The edition of 1578 has the above at p. 25. 



