CAPERCAILLIE. 21 



caillie is niucli upon the ground in the day-time; very commonly, however, he sits on 

 the pines." During the night he usually roosts in the trees, but if the weather is very 

 severe, he buries himself in the snow for warmth and shelter. Mr. Lloyd says that the 

 flight of the Capercaillie is not heavy for so large a bird; and that the noise it makes 

 during flight, is not greater than you would expect from a bird of its dimensions. 

 Although this bird usually takes but short flights, he will, on some occasions, rise to a 

 considerable height in the air, and take a flight of several miles at a time. As before 

 stated, the Capercaillie perches much in the pines, and will most frequently be found in 

 the winter sitting on the highest branches of these trees. 



"Even in his wild state, the Capercaillie occasionally forgets his inherent shyness, and 

 will attack people when approaching his place of resort. Mr. Alderberg mentions such 

 an occurrence: — During a number of years an old Capercaillie Cock had been in the habit 

 of frecpienting the estate of Yillinge, at Wermdo, who, as often as he heard the voice of 

 people in the adjoining wood, had the boldness to station himself on the ground, and 

 during a continual flapping of his wings, pecked at the legs and feet of those that 

 disturbed his domain. 



Mr. Brehm, also, mentions in his "Appendix," page 626, a Capercaillie Cock that 

 frequented a wood a mile distant from Eenthendorf, in which was a path or road-way. 

 The bird, as soon as it perceived any person approach, would fly towards him, peck at 

 his legs, and rap him with his wings, and was with difficulty driven away. A huntsman 

 succeeded in taking this bird, and carried it to a place two miles (about fourteen 

 English) distant; but on the following day the Capercaillie resumed its usual haunt. 

 Another person afterwards caught' him, with a view of carrying him to the Ofwer-Jag- 

 mastare. At first the bird remained quiet, but he soon began to tear and peck at the 

 man so effectually, that the latter was compelled to restore him to his liberty. However, 

 after the lapse of a few months, he totally disappeared, probably having fallen into the 

 hands of a less timid bird-catcher." 



Early in the season, if the Capercaillie is disturbed only by the dog, it seldom flies 

 far, and soon perches again. Later in the season they become excessively wild, especiallv 

 the cocks. "Towards the commencement of, and during the continuance of winter, the 

 Capercaillies are generally in packs; these, which are usualty composed wholly of cocks, 

 (the hens keeping apart,) do not separate until the approach of spring. These packs, 

 which are said sometimes to contain fifty or a hundred birds, usually hold to the sides 

 of the numerous lahes and morasses, with which the northern forests abound; and to 

 follow the same in the winter-time with a good rifle is no ignoble amusement." 



When speaking of the habits of this bird, during the period of incubation, Mr. Lloyd 

 says, "At this period, and often when the ground is deeply covered with snow, the cock 

 stations himself on a pine, and commences his love-song, or 'play,' as it is termed in 



