THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
advanced very carefully, and became aware of a curious clicking noise 
proceeding from the tree, which, on a closer approach, I found to be the 
regular commencement of the first part of the main song. Klick-kleck 
Klick-kleck— — Klick-kleck went the bird, making a pause of ten to 
fifteen seconds between each call, that seemed to be like two sticks knocked 
together. The cry was continued crescendo for some moments, the pace 
getting quicker and quicker, until it finished in a clear ringing note, 
which continental observers call “ the ringing of the bell.” It certainly 
has a metallic clanking sound, which it is impossible to express onomato- 
paeically. 
There was then a slight pause, and several notes were uttered like the 
uncorking of a bottle, quickly repeated. These sounds were all very loud, 
and could doubtless be heard at a distance of half a mile, especially the 
“uncorking” note, but the third phase of the song — a curious twittering 
sound something like the twittering of little birds or the gentle grinding 
of a knife — ^was so low that the observer had to be within 100 yards to 
hear it. It is only during the utterance of the latter part of the song that 
the male Capercaillie can be approached with any degree of safety ; in 
consequence one has to guess the moments at which it is taking place 
when advancing at a distance. Also it is of such short duration that not 
more than three or four long paces can be undertaken by the sportsman, 
and he must then keep perfectly still until the next third part occurs again. 
I found that there was no difficulty in stalking the first cock, owing to 
the soft nature of the ground, and the absence of dry sticks, so fatal to 
success in Austria and the Carpathians. When within 150 yards I clearly 
saw the cock outlined against the clear sky of the rising dawn, and getting 
trees in line, reached a point within 80 yards, where I could clearly observe 
his movements. At first he was very alert, standing up to his full height and 
looking about in expectation of some disturbance, or looking down at the 
hens, which were somewhere on the ground close by, although I could not 
detect them. Then, as he commenced his klicking notes, he still kept 
upright, but as the song proceeded the head was gradually sunk, the tail 
spread, and the wings trailed down. In the final phase of the show the 
bird appeared to be oblivious to all surroundings in the excitement of 
the moment, and to roll from side to side as he spread the feathers of the 
neck and tail to the fullest extent. By taking unusual care I eventually 
succeeded in getting within thirty yards of this cock, and killed him with 
a shot just as he finished his song. There was a momentary pause, and 
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