INTRODUCTION. 



IN the autumn of 187*7, Professor Newton of Cambridge 

 intimated to me that he desired to have some account of the 

 increase and extension of range of the Capercaillie in Scot- 

 land. Although possessing a fairly accurate conception of 

 its general distribution, and the lines of its advance outwards 

 from Taymouth, where it was restored in 1837-8, I found 

 that I was wanting in the more minute details which it 

 would be necessary for me to possess before I could furnish 

 a suitable reply. Accordingly, I began inquiries; at first 

 simply with a view to furnishing Professor Newton with a 

 short summary for his new edition of YarrelTs "British Birds." 

 But information of such valuable, suggestive, and interesting 

 kind came to hand, that I soon conceived the project of 

 treating the subject more exhaustively. I reflected, more- 

 over, that, besides being of general interest to the naturalist 

 in this country, the subject might be made illustrative of a 

 great natural law, and of the causes and process of distribu- 

 tion, and the increase in population of a species. I found 

 also that while interesting to the naturalist and sportsman, it 

 might also develop questions of economic value to Scottish 

 or other landed proprietors, and be made to contain many 



