GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 33 



found, but in apparently decreasing numbers, in Poland and 

 in Northern and Central Germany. 



.Allied Forms. — Tetrao urogalloides, an inhabitant of East 

 Siberia, ranging from the valley of the Yenesay, through 

 Mantchooria, southwards into Northern China. Differs from the 

 Capercaillie in having the head and neck metallic purple and 

 green, more white on the wing- and upper tail-coverts, but 

 with no white on the tail itself, and in having a longer and more 

 graduated tail. The Capercaillie described by Taczanowsky 

 from Kamtschatka as T. kamischaticus is said to be intermediate 

 in colour and size. 



Time during which the Capercaillie may be taken. — 

 August 20th to December loth. 



Habits. — This magnificent Grouse is one of the rarest and 

 most local of those birds which are classed under the head of 

 Game. Its haunts are chiefly in the forests of spruce fir and 

 larch, although it frequently wanders from these localities into 

 birch and oak woods, and on to the bare expanses of moor, or the 

 open parts of the forest where the broken ground is strewed with 

 bracken and with various kinds of ground fruit. It is most 

 partial to the big pine woods, more especially those that are 

 broken up into swampy ground in places, and where small lakes 

 occur. In these wild districts where the Capercaillie is present it 

 is often very conspicuous, as the massive creature sits poised on 

 some topmost point of a pine-tree, his huge form showing out 

 clearly against the sky. Here it is wary enough, and seldom 

 allows a near approach, although when sitting amongst the 

 lower branches, where it considers itself well concealed, the 

 observer is often allowed to walk quite closely past it. The 

 Capercaillie is far more of a tree bird during winter than in 

 summer ; but it always prefers to roost in a tree, and to retire to 

 a tree to sit and digest its meal. It is everywhere a resident, 

 although it is given much to wandering up and down the country- 

 side in an aimless sort of way, females and young males especially 

 so. The flight of the Capercaillie is powerful enough, yet the 

 bird seldom flies far, unless it be to cross over a valley from one 

 wood to another ; nor is it very loud and whirring, except when he 

 rises almost at your feet, or dashes unexpectedly from the 



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