34 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



branches where he has been watching you intently. The food of 

 the Capercaillie in summer consists of the leaves and buds of various 

 plants and trees, such as the alder, birch, and hazel, the leaves of 

 the fir and larch, and less frequently of the spruce. To this fare 

 is added all the various ground fruits that flourish in or near the 

 haunts of the bird, as well as acorns ; insects, especially ants and 

 their eggs, and beetles, are also sought for, as are also worms. 

 In winter the needles of the pine-trees are almost the exclusive 

 fare. At all times of the year the male feeds more on these 

 spines or needles than the female, who spends more of her time 

 on the ground. Consequently the flesh of the latter is more palat- 

 able than that of the male, whose carcase is frequently too strongly 

 flavoured with turpentine or resin to be pleasant to the taste. 

 Grain is never eaten in great quantities. It is said that during 

 severe weather this bird will bury itself in a snowdrift for shelter. 

 The statements that the Capercaillie is detrimental to the 

 presence of Black Game and Pheasants by its pugnacity and 

 habit of appropriating their nests, do not appear to be borne out 

 by evidence carefully collected for the purpose of ascertaining their 

 truth. That it may do considerable damage to small forests 

 where it may chance to be abundant, is by no means improbable 

 — the crop of one bird shot in November containing the extra- 

 ordinary number of two hundred and sixty-six shoots and buds, 

 besides a large handful of leaves, of the Scotch fir ! For further 

 information on this important subject, as well as the full par- 

 ticulars concerning the reintroduction of this species into Scotland, 

 I must refer my readers to Mr. J. A. Harvie-Brown's exhaustive 

 treatise entitled The Capercaillie in Scotland, a book that should 

 be on the shelves of every sportsman and naturalist. 



Nidification. — The Capercaillie becomes most interesting, 

 perhaps, to the naturalist in the breeding season. It is a poly- 

 gamous species, and like most of such birds, indulges in various 

 grotesque and interesting habits during that period. This portion 

 of their economy has been most carefully studied and described 

 by Lloyd, and from his important work on Scandinavian Game 

 Birds the following particulars have been obtained. Pairing com- 

 mences in April and continues through May. The male chooses 



