Crass II. Gi OW. "S, 
HIS fpecies is found in no other part of 
TT Great Britain than the Highlands of Scot- 
land, North of Inverne/s; and is very rare even in 
thofe parts. It is there known by the name of 
Capercalze, Auer-calze, and in the old law books 
Caperkally: che lat fignifying the horfe of the 
_ woods; this fpecies being, in comparifon of others 
of the genus, pre-eminently large*. We believe 
that the breed is extinét in Jre/and, where it was 
formerly found. 
Giraldus Cambrenfis+ defcribes it under the title 
of Peacock of the wood, from the rich green. that 
fhines on the breaft of the male. Boethius + alfo 
mentions it under the name of Capercalze; and true- 
ly defcribes its food, the extreme fhoots of the 
pine. He afterwards gives an exact defcription of 
the Slack cock, but gives it the name of the cock of 
the wood, a name now confined to this fpecies. 
Bifhop Le/s/y|| is a third of our hiftorians who 
makes mention of this bird along with two others 
of the genus, the black cock and common egrous 5 
but the Ptarmigan is overlooked by them. None 
of thefe writers were converfant in the ftudy of 
natural hiftory, therefore are very excufable for their 
inaccuracy. 
* For the fame reafon the Germans call it 4ur-han, or the 
Urus or wild ox cock. 
+ Topogr. Hibern. 706. t Defcr. Regni Scotia. 7. 
|| Scotia Defer, 24. 
te: 
