THE CAPEECATLLIE. 



Tetrao urogattus. 



HIS handsome and striking-- 

 looking bird occupies the fore- 

 most place amongst British 

 Grouse, and it may be added 

 that its size and general 

 appearance fully warrant the 

 position assigned to it. 



The name Capercaillie is a 

 derivation from the Gaelic 

 Capullcoille, which literally 

 means " horse of the woods." 

 Yarrell, in his description of 

 this bird, and the dis- 

 tinctive title applied to it, 

 remarks : " This species, in 

 comparison with the others of 

 the genus, is pre-eminently 

 large; the distinction is in- 

 tended to refer to size, as it 

 is usual now to say horse- 

 mackerel, horse - ant, horse- 

 fly, and horse-radish." 



Many years ago these noble- 

 looking birds were compara- 



