CAPERCAILZIE. 
83 
females we would attribute to their being confused 
with the true Capercailzie hens, which vary so 
much in size. The similarity of the specimens 
we, however, consider now as the strongest fact 
against the hybrid theory, and even if a differently 
marked specimen should occur, and they can bear 
no proportion whatever to the resembling ones, 
we should consider it much more probable to be a 
cross between the presently considered hybrid and 
the Capercailzie. 
A fine male specimen of the Capercailzie will sit 
fully two feet above the branch on which he is 
perched ; and will be in total length from two 
feet ten inches to three feet. The bill very power- 
ful, is yellowish-white, darker towards the base ; 
the whole head and neck is blackish-grey ; the 
feathers of a lanceolate form, darker in their 
centres, and minutely freckled over with black ; 
immediately below the chin they are elongated, 
and can be raised at will, these are of a deep black, 
and are edged with a glossy border of green and 
purple; underneath each eye there is a white 
patch ; the centre of the back and wings are rich 
orange coloured brown, marked in wavy lines of 
freckles of brownish-black ; the quills are reddish- 
umber-brown ; the lower parts of the back and 
rump, have a ground colour of grey or brownish- 
grey, thickly marked with broad wavy lines of 
black, giving the whole, at a little distance, an 
appearance of blackish-grey ; the centre upper tail- 
coverts are elongated, are nearly black, clouded 
