50 THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



large well-grown Scotch fir plantations, where these are not 

 usually found." 



In Arran they were separately introduced partly from 

 birds direct from Sweden, and partly by birds from Taymouth. 

 Notwithstanding the mixture of fresh blood thus acquired, 

 and the corresponding rapid increase of the species there, 

 Arran, from its isolated position, cannot be held as an appre- 

 ciable centre for any large extent of country. (For full parti- 

 culars of this introduction, vide under "Arran," p. 103.) 



I am obliged to Mr. Muirhead, of Edinburgh, for the 

 following statistics, which may perhaps be considered to repre- 

 sent the steady increase of the species since that time. He 

 informs me that he received for sale in 1855 not more than 

 10 brace of Scottish birds ; in 1865, from 15 to 20 brace ; in 

 1875, from 20 to 25 brace during the season ; in 1876, fully 

 30 brace ; but in 1877-78 scarcely any. " This wet season," 

 he adds, " partridges, grouse, and pheasants have turned out 

 a very small crop, in fact, the shortest supply on record." 

 Many Scottish sportsmen can bear out this latter remark of 

 Mr. Muirhead's. In 1852 Mr. John Plant received a hybrid 

 from Mr. Muirhead, shot .near Breadalbane ( c ZooL! 1852, 

 p. 3710). 



In England also attempts have been made to introduce 

 the species. Lord Eavensworth gives an account of his endea- 

 vours to establish them at his seat at Eslington in Northum- 

 berland, between 1872 and 1877, in the ' Nat. Hist. Trans, of 

 Northumberland and Durham 'for 1877. At the latter date 

 there were three males and two females in good health. In 

 the south of Yorkshire, around Hebden Bridge, in the sum- 

 mer of 1877, six strong chicks were hatched out under the 

 care of a Scottish gamekeeper, from eggs procured from the 

 Highlands (vide 'Newcastle Chronicle! January 1877). 1 



1 Mr. David Fyffe, gamekeeper at Lindertis, Forfar, sent seven young 

 birds to the Duke of Newcastle. One cock grew to the size of a moderately 

 large turkey ; but through time they all died. 



