142 THE WOOD GROUSE OR CAPERCAILZIE. 



ever, those birds were in the pines in the first in- 

 stance ; but, as my dog was possessed of an extra- 

 ordinarily fine sense of smelling, she would often 

 wind, or, in other words, scent them from a very 

 long distance. 



" When she found the capercailzie, she would sta- 

 tion herself under the tree where they were sitting, 

 and, by keeping up an incessant barking, direct my 

 steps towards the spot. I now advanced with silence 

 and caution ; and as it frequently happened that the 

 attention of the bird was much taken up with ob- 

 serving the dog, I was enabled to approach until it 

 was within the range of my rifle, or even of my com- 

 mon gun. 



" In the forest, the capercailzie does not always 

 present an easy mark ; for, dipping down from the 

 pines nearly to the ground, as is frequently the case, 

 they are often almost out of distance before one can 

 properly take aim. No. 1 or 2 shot may answer 

 very well, at short range, to kill the hens ; but for 

 the cocks, the sportsman should be provided with 

 much larger. 



" Towards the commencement of, and during the 

 continuance of the winter, the capercailzies are gene- 

 rally in packs ; these, which are usually composed 

 wholly of cocks, (the hens keeping apart,) do not se- 

 parate until the approach of spring. These packs, 

 which are sometimes said to contain fifty or a hun- 

 dred birds, usually hold to the sides of the numerous 



