CHAPTEE XIV. 



EXTENSION IN KINCARDINESHIRE. 



AT present the only record I have of its occurrence in the 

 county is that of a hybrid, which was shot at Fetteresso on 

 26th October 1872 (' Scot. Nat! 1873-74, vol. ii. p. 57 ; and 

 Mr. George Sim, in lit.) It is not easy to decide the source 

 of this hybrid, or whence came the Capercaillie which pro- 

 duced it. As far as I can learn at present, Stracathro is the 

 locality nearest to Kincardineshire where Capercaillies are 

 found (see Forfarshire, antea, p. 73). 



Since the above remarks under Kincardine and Aberdeen 

 were penned, I am glad to be able to record that birds have 

 occurred on Deeside, at the very spot where I anticipated they 

 would first make their appearance. 



In August 1878 three Capercaillies one old hen and two 

 young male and female were shot in the pine woods on 

 Scoltie Hill, near Banchory, and not far from the junction of 

 the river Feugh half of the waters of which come down the 

 wooded strath of Glen Dye with the river Dee. Mr. Charles 

 Danford, who sends me the information, adds : " This is the 

 first time I have heard of them in this district ; " and I have 

 a negative return from the estates of Durris, lower down the 

 Dee, in which my correspondent Mr, C. M'Hardy, forester 

 at Durris states : " We have none of them in the north that 

 I am aware of. . . . I am aware of their having been tried in 



