NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 469 
Of the causes of the extinction of the species in Scotland 
Mr. Harvie Brown says but little. “The most likely factors ” he 
believes to be ‘‘ the probable destruction of great forest tracts by 
fire, the cutting down of the same by man as late as the days of 
Cromwell, and the wasting of the forest from natural causes, by 
the conversion of dry forests into bogs and morasses, and 
resulting from this the decrease of, and change in, the food of 
the species.” 
Rutty, in his ‘ Nat. Hist. of the Co. Dublin,’ 1772, speaks of 
the Capercaillie as having been seen in the County Leitrim about 
the year 1710, but adds, ‘‘ They have entirely disappeared of late 
by reason of the destruction of owr woods.” 
In 1827 or 1828 an attempt was made by the Earl of Fife to 
reintroduce this fine game-bird at Mar Lodge, but unfortunately 
the experiment did not succeed. A few years later, however, 
viz., in 1836, through the instrumentality of the late Sir Thomas 
Fowell Buxton, and the co-operation of that fine old sportsman, 
the late Mr. Lloyd, of Scandinavian renown, a number of these 
birds were imported from Sweden, and turned out in the woods 
at Taymouth. The actual rearing by hand was not so successful, 
but in 1841 favourable reports were received of the successful 
hatching of eggs under grey hens, principally in the woods 
of Drummond Hill. They soon became fairly established, and 
about the year 1862 or 1863 the Marquis of Breadalbane estimated 
their numbers on the estate at over 1000 birds, while the head- 
keeper, who tended the birds with the greatest possible care, 
considered that there were over 2000. 
At Taymouth, and all along the Tay Valley, as far as Dunkeld, 
Capercaillies, after becoming fairly established, increased in 
numbers rapidly for a number of years. The whole district was 
in every way admirably adapted to their habits, the Duke of 
Athole and Lord Breadalbane having planted considerable areas 
of their estates in the latter part of the last century, and in the 
beginning of the present one, with larch, Scotch fir, and spruce, 
thus forming for the restored birds the perfection of cover and 
food. 
Mr. Harvie Brown has been at considerable pains to trace the 
direction in which the progeny of this new stock spread from the 
head- quarters at Taymouth; and by means of a circular, which he 
distributed amongst the principal land-owners of east-central 
