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diet. The distended crop of a fine male, sent to me 
from Perthshire, contained a tightly compressed mass 
of these needles, that on being liberated, well-nigh 
filled an average-sized “chimney-pot ” hat. From the 
standard authorities I learn that the “ Great Cock” is 
more abundant in Scandinavia and Northern Russia 
than elsewhere; but it is to be met with, in numbers 
probably varying with the amount of human protection 
afforded, throughout the coniferous forests of Northern 
and Central Germany, Switzerland, Austria, North 
Italy, and both sides of the Pyrenees. In the 
Cantabrian range, as I have already stated, it is not 
confined to the fir-growing districts. It occurs in the 
Carpathians, but I cannot obtain any authentic evidence 
of its existence in any part of European Turkey, and 
am disposed to think that the many rumours that have 
reached me of the existence of “ Wild Turkeys” in 
that country must, in spite of solemn asseverations to 
the contrary, really have reference to the Great Bustard. 
The various methods of shooting Capercaillie in Scotland 
and on the Continent have been so fully treated of by 
practised hands that a repetition concerning this subject 
would be quite superfluous in a picture-book. 
Many hundreds of this species are annually sent from 
the ports of Northern Europe to our markets during 
the winter in a frozen condition. The flesh of the 
young birds is, m my opinion, superior to that of 
Blackgame, and I have found that even the old cocks 
may, by judicious culinary treatment, be rendered into 
very palatable food. 
The drawing, from which my plate was taken, was 
