DAMAGE TO FORESTS. 135 



considered as negative, in opposition to the positive recorded 

 testimony of a number of other naturalists. Mr. Robert 

 Collett of Christiania distinctly states that the young birds 

 "are at first fed almost exclusively on small soft-bodied 

 insects " ('Birds of Europe' by Dresser, Part xxi). Mr. Charles 

 Ottley Groom Napier, who has specially devoted his attention 

 to compiling an account of ' The food, use, and beauty of British 

 Birds! gives as the food of the Capercaillie in May, " insects, 

 leaves," etc. (p. 69). Various other authors of repute state 

 the same, such as Lloyd ( ( Game Birds of fiweden' pp. 4, 5). 

 Indeed, I should myself be more surprised to learn that they 

 did not eat insects, as all game birds and gallinaceous birds 

 feed more or less upon insects and larvae, especially when 

 young ; but I have not on that account neglected specially to 

 make observations and inquiries in this direction, as the sub- 

 ject of the food of the Capercarllie is in itself of interest, all 

 the more so when we find that a difference of opinion is ex- 

 pressed, as we find above. 



Mr. Robert Collett and Professor Rasch of Norway like- 

 wise have never found insects in the crops of many Caper- 

 caillies they have dissected " in the season from autumn to 

 spring." They are protected by law all the summer time. 

 Mr. Collett adds that he believes they feed upon larvae. " I 

 cannot understand why they are often seen in numbers in 

 places in our forests where, only the insect larvae are devour- 

 ing the leaves of the birches or the blaeberry plants, if they do 

 not feed upon these larvae. But, unfortunately, no specimen 

 must be killed in the season when these larvae are present." 



Herr Dr. Meves, of Stockholm, writes to me : " I believe 

 that these birds (Capercaillies) sometimes do as much good 

 as harm to forests. Travelling in Jemtland I found young 

 wood grouse, from three to ten days' old, having their throats 

 and crops filled with Tenthredo or Nemitus larvae, which are 

 found on pine trees. A couple of wood grouse shot in 



