THE WOOD GROUSE OR CAPERCAILZIE. 117 
also not so difficult. Neither is the season attended 
to, for in Norway particularly, the female is some- 
times sliot from her nest. 
In addition to what has been given of the habits 
of this noble bird, it will be interesting to insert the 
© 
following from Lloyd's “ Northern Field Sports/’ 
<( The capercailzie is often domesticated in Swe- 
den ; indeed, at both Uddeholm and Risater, as well 
as in other places, I have known these birds to be 
kept for a long period in aviaries built for the pur- 
pose, These were so perfectly tame as to feed out 
of the hand. Their food principally consisted of oats 
and of the leaves of the Scotch fir, large branches of 
which were usually introduced into their cages once 
or more in tho course of the week. They were also 
supplied with a bun fiance of native berries, when pro- 
curable, They were amply provided at all times 
with water and sand : the latter of which was of a 
rather coarse quality, and both were changed pretty 
frequently. 
“ In farther corroboration of the fact, that the ca- 
percailzie will breed when in confinement, I make 
the following quotation from Mr Nilsson’s work. 
Tlmt gentleman’s authority was the Ofwer Director 
af Uhr ; and the birds alluded to were at a forge in 
the province of Dalecarlia. 
“ ‘ They were kept together during the winter in 
a large loft over a barn, anil were fed with com, and 
got occasionally a change of fresh spruce, fir, pine, 
and juniper sprigs. Early in the spring, they were 
