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up shortly by twenty more, were on their way from Sweden to Taymouth Castle ; and, with the 

 exception of a single one killed by accident, all reached their destination in safety. 



" The arrival of this magnificent collection in Scotland created quite a sensation ; every one 

 was delighted that matters had thus far gone well, and no one more so than Sir Fowell, who 

 addressed to me a letter on the occasion, somewhat too complimentary for publication. Again, 

 in September 1837, not very long after the arrival of the first batch of twenty-nine, he wrote me 

 as follows: — 'I have just returned from Taymouth, where I have been reminded of you very 

 frequently by the Capercali. I saw eighteen of them in excellent health and plumage a few 

 days ago ; the other ten, six hens and four cocks, were turned out ; and there is reason to hope 

 they are doing well ; so that, thanks to your energy in collecting them, Larry's care in bringing 

 them over, and Lord Breadalbane's anxiety for their welfare, our experiment is likely, I trust, to 

 succeed, and Scotland to be restocked with this noble bird. They are greatly admired by every 



one, and very deep interest is felt for them Nothing can surpass the woods into which they 



are to be turned out, and the protection they will receive,' the writer goes on to say ; ' and as 

 Lord Breadalbane's territory is so large, I hope they will not be disposed to leave such excellent 

 quarters.' 



" Sir Fowell's anticipations as to the success of the experiment, owing to the good manage- 

 ment of Lord Breadalbane, were fully realized, as will be seen by the accompanying note from 

 his Lordship to myself, dated 11th October, 1841 (that is, some five years after the introduction 

 of the birds into Scotland) : — 



" ' I have great pleasure in informing you that the Capercali have thriven most excellently. 

 The experiment of putting the eggs under the Greyhen was attended with perfect success, and 

 there are now a goodly number of these birds hereabouts.' 



" It is very satisfactory to add that the Capercali have subsequently flourished in the High- 

 lands in an extraordinary manner. Less than four years ago, indeed, Lord Breadalbane himself 

 told me he imagined there were then fully one thousand of the birds on the Taymouth property. 

 His head keeper, moreover, in a letter to a friend, estimated them at double that number." 



Scandinavia and Northern Russia are now the head quarters of the Capercaillie, and it is 

 there common. In Norway, Mr. Collett writes, " it is chiefly met with in the wooded portions 

 of the eastern provinces, or ' stifts,' where it breeds abundantly from Smaalehnene upwards to 

 Alten (70°), where I found it myself not uncommon in the summer of 1872 ; in Finmark proper 

 it has also been met with, but sparingly, as at Karasjok, where a male specimen was shot on the 

 roof of the village church in January 1872. It ranges also as far north in South Varanger. 

 Along the western coast it is found in less numbers. Thus its distribution coincides with the 

 limits of the fir (Pinus sylvestris) in a horizontal and vertical direction. 



" Every winter I have met with sterile female individuals, which to a greater or less extent 

 had assumed the garb of the male. It is obvious that the reason of this sterility cannot always 

 be old age, several of these females having been young birds ; and in the latter a diseased state of 

 the ovarium must be the true cause. The most remarkable example of this kind I found in the 

 game-market of Christiania, October 18th, 1872. In dress, not in size (total length 655 millims.), 

 it exhibited so striking a resemblance to an old and fully coloured male as to be with difficulty 

 distinguished from one. As in all probability very few individuals are characterized by such a 



