30 THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



In Denovan's sale catalogue (1818) several passages occur, 

 which have been kindly quoted for me by Professor Newton 

 and Mr. J. H. Gurney jun., but I consider that these should 

 be received with extra caution, or indeed be rejected altogether. 

 As Professor Newton suggests, in those days there were tricks 

 of the trade as well as now. I quote these passages for what 

 they are worth : 



" Lot 651. Hybrid grouse. The rarest of the grouse tribe ; 

 was shot in Scotland ; very fine ; Edinburgh Museum. 1 



" Lot 652. Wood grouse ; Highlands of Scotland. A hand- 

 some glazed case, including both sexes of these truly rare 

 birds, in the finest possible condition." 



To cap the above : " Lot 832. Wolf, a noble animal, in 

 large glazed case. The last wolf killed in Scotland by Sir E. 

 Cameron." 



1837. In a c Treatise on the Game Laws of Scotland,' by 

 Alexr. Grigor, Edin. 1837, p. 9, " Capercayllies " are mentioned 

 amongst pre-existing game birds. He did not, however, 

 appear to be aware of their restoration. 



IRELAND. 



1357-87. Giraldus Cambrensis in his c Topographia Hiber- 

 niae ' (lib. ii. p. 47), says : " Pavones silvestres hie abundant." 

 It remains uncertain if he alluded to the " Capercaillie " or not. 

 We find again, however, that Ranulphus Higden, the monk of 

 Chester, who died about 1360 (v. Harting on ' The Extinct British 



1 In answer to inquiries as to whether any specimen at present exists in 

 the Edinburgh Museum of a hybrid grouse or Capercaillie from Scotland that 

 could have been referred to in the above lot, Mr. John Gibson assures me there 

 is not. The oldest Capercaillie in the collection is a Norwegian one, pur- 

 chased in 1814 by Dr. Jamieson for 4 : 4s. Mr. Gibson considers that had 

 there been a British example in the collection at that time, r,uch a piece of 

 extravagance would not have been perpetrated. 



