176 THE SCOTTISH NADURALIST 
a “@® skin from Scotland from the Montagu Collection.” 
The uncertainty which would appear to exist, as to whom 
this specimen belonged before coming to the Natural History 
Museum, does not help to prove its Scottish origin; more- 
over, it is of sinister moment that Mr W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, 
in his paper already referred to, has entirely disregarded 
any such claim for this specimen. 
Reference has been made to Edward Donovan, and 
it is therefore of interest to note that in 1797 he writes 
of the Capercaillie as “in Scotland is found only in the 
Highlands north of Inverness (Ross-shire, Sutherlandshire) 
... the breed was nearly extirpated half a century ago.”? 
In 1807 Donovan, who was a keen collector, opened his 
Museum in Catherine Street, Strand, to the public, styling 
it “The London Museum and Institute of Natural History.” 
In the second edition (1808) of the Catalogue of this Museum 
he describes ;— 
“Lot 279, Wood Grouse, male and female. Inhabits the 
Highlands of Scotland where it is become extremely rare; and 
is not found in any other part of the kingdom.” 
It will be noticed that there is nothing in the description 
to show that these specimens came from Scotland which, 
had this been the case, it is highly probable so astute a 
showman as Donovan would have been eager to proclaim. 
When, however, Donovan’s collection was dispersed under 
the hammer in 1818, we find the description of this particular 
lot materially altered. Referring again to Dr J. A. Harvie- 
Brown’s Capercatllie in Scotland, it is there stated that :— 
“Tn Donovan’s sale catalogue (1818) several passages occur 
which . . . should be received with extra caution, or indeed be 
rejected altogether. .. . ‘Lot 652, Wood Grouse, Highlands of 
Scotland. A handsome glazed case, including both sexes of 
these truly rare birds, in the finest possible condition.’ ... As 
Professor Newton suggests, in those days there were tricks of 
the trade as well as now.” ? 
1 Edward Donovan, The Natural History of British Birds, vol. w., 
1797, letterpress to Plate LXXXIX. 
2 J. A. Harvie-Brown, of. czz., p. 30. 
