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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

DAVIS 


Z:^^^/^-^^^^ 


THE  CAPEEOAILLIE  IN  SCOTLAND 

WITH  SOME  ACCOUNT  OP  THE 

EXTENSION  OF  ITS  KANGE  SINCE  ITS 

KESTOKATION  AT  TAYMOUTH 

IN  1837  AND  1838. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2007  with  funding  from 
■    IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/capercaillieinscOOharvrich 


THE 


OAPEECAILLIE  IN  SCOTLAND 


By  J.  A.  HAEVIE-BEOWN,  F.Z.S. 


MEMBER  OF  THE  BRITISH  ORNITHOLOGISTS    UNION, 
ETC. 


And  from  the  pine's  high  top  brought  down 
The  Giant  Grous,  while  boastful  he  display'd 
His  breast  of  varying  green,  and  crow'd  and  clapp'd 
His  glossy  wings." 

GiSBORNE  :  '  Walks  iii  a  Forest. 


EDINBUEGH:    DAVID   DOUGLAS 


MDCCCLXXIX 

LIBRARY 

UNlVEaSlTY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

DAVIS 


iAll  rights  reserTed.] 


DuNiPACE  House,  SOth  April  1879. 

My  dear  Professor  Newton, 

As  you  first  drew  my.  attention  to  the  subject 
treated  of  in  the  following  pages,  and  while  my  inquiries  were 
proceeding,  kindly  assisted  me  by  continued  advice,  I  desire 
to  inscribe  to  you  this  little  volume,  and  to  remain  yours  very 
truly  and  obliged, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


To  A.  Newton,  Esq.,  MA.,  F.R.S., 

Professor  of  Zoology  and  Comparative  Anatomy 

in  the  University  of  Cambridge. 


CONTENTS, 


INTKODUCTION. 

PAKT  I. 

Chapter  I. — ^Derivation  of  the  name  "  Capercaillie  " 
„       IL — Orthography        .... 


PAGE 

1 


PART  n. 

Chapter  III. — Antiquity  of  the   Species,  as  shown  in 

Bone-Caves      .             .             .  .13 
„         IV. — History  of  the  Species  in  Scotland  prior  to 

Extinction,  and  causes  of  Extinction  .         1 5 

PART  III. 

Chapter  V. — Restoration          .            .            ,'  .         37 


PART  IV.     {With  a  Map.) 

Chapter  VL — Increase  and  Extension  of  Range  , 

55 

{Copy  of  Author's  Circular  to  face.) 

„       VII.— In  Perthshire       . 

57 

„      VIIL— In  Forfarshire      . 

71 

„         IX.— In  Fifeshire 

76 

„          X. — In  Kinross-shire  . 

79 

„         XI. — In  ClackmannaTishire 

81 

,,       XII.— In  Stirlingshire   . 

82 

VUl 


CONTENTS. 


Increase  and  Extension  of  Range — Continued. 
Chapter  XIII. — In  Outlying  Counties : — 


PAGE 


Linlithgowshire 

88 

Mid-Lothian 

89 

Dumbartonshire 

89 

Argyleshire 

90 

Inverness-shire 

93 

Aberdeenshire 

94 

XIV.- 

—In  Kincardineshire 

95 

XV.- 

—In  Ross,  Elgin,  and  Counties  of  the  M 

oray 

Firth  .... 

•    .         98 

XVI.- 

—In  Sutherlandshire 

99 

XVII.- 

-In  the  South  of  Scotland : — 

Ayrshire      .             ,             . 

.        101 

Galloway  and  Wigton 

.        102 

Tianark 

102 

Kirkcudbright 

102 

Dumfries      . 

.        102 

XVIII.- 

—In  Arran 

PART  V. 

103 

Chapter  XIX. — Laws  of  Extension  of  Range  .  .107 

„         XX. — A  few  Remarks  on  Hybridism       .      ^        .       115 
„        XXI. — Increase  of  Capercaillies  .  .  .118 

„      XXII.— On  the  Decrease  of  Black  Game  .        120 

„    XXIII. — Relations  between  Capercaillies  and  Phea- 
sants .  .  .  .127 


PART  VI. 

Chapter  XXIV. — Damage  to  Forests 
„        XXV. — Damage  to  Grain 
„       XXVI. — Conclusion 


131 

148 
150 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


APPENDIX. 

1.  Addition  to  note,  page  4,  Chap,  i.,  on  Derivation  of  *  Caper- 

caillie' 

2.  Addendum  to  Chap,  iii.,  page  14    . 
to  Chap.  iv. 

to  end  of  Chap,  iv.,  page  33 
to  end  of  Chap,  v.,  page  51 
to  Chap.  xiii.     Outlying  Counties,  Extension  in 

Inverness-shire,  page  93  . 


3. 

Do. 

4. 

Do. 

5. 

Do. 

6. 

Do. 

PAGE 

153 
153 
154 
154 
154 

155 


INTEODUCTION, 


In  the  autumn  of  1877,  Professor  Newton  of  Cambridge 
intimated  to  me  that  he  desired  to  have  some  account  of  the 
increase  and  extension  of  range  of  the  Capercaillie  in  Scot- 
land. Although  possessing  a  fairly  accurate  conception  of 
its  general  distribution,  and  the  lines  of  its  advance  outwards 
from  Taymouth,  where  it  was  restored  in  1837-8,  I  found 
that  I  was  wanting  in  the  more  minute  details  which  it 
would  be  necessary  for  me  to  possess  before  I  could  furnish 
a  suitable  reply.  Accordingly,  I  began  inquiries;  at  first 
simply  with  a  view  to  furnishing  Professor  Newton  with  a 
short  summary  for  his  new  edition  of  Yarrell's  "British  Birds'.' 
But  information  of  such  valuable,  suggestive,  and  interesting 
kind  came  to  hand,  that  I  soon  conceived  the  project  of 
treating  the  subject  more  exhaustively.  I  reflected,  more- 
over, that,  besides  being  of  general  interest  to  the  naturalist 
in  this  country,  the  subject  might  be  made  illustrative  of  a 
great  natural  law,  and  of  the  causes  and  process  of  distribu- 
tion, and  the  increase  in  population  of  a  species.  I  found 
also  that  while  interesting  to  the  naturalist  and  sportsman,  it 
might  also  develop  questions  of  economic  value  to  Scottish 
or  other  landed  proprietors,  and  be  made  to  contain  many 


XU-  INTRODUCTION. 

local  references  interesting  to  individuals  who  own  Caper- 
caillie-haunted  woods  and  forests. 

With  this  view,  therefore,  I  caused  to  be  printed  a  series 
of  queries  touching  the  points  I  specially  desired  statistics 
and  information  upon,  and  by  the  beginning  of  1878, 1  was 
engaged  in  sending  out  the  circulars,  receiving  answers,  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  arranging  the  results.  The  final  results 
have  far  exceeded  in  interest  my  most  sanguine  expectations ; 
though  whether  I  have  succeeded  in  conveying  these  results 
successfully  and  practically  to  my  readers  in  the  following 
pages  it  is  for  them  to  judge,  not  me.  In  the  treatment  of 
the  subject  I  cannot  lay  any  claim  to  originality,  nor  am  I 
aware  that  any  previously  unknown  facts  are  recorded.  The 
treatment  has  been  forced  upon  me  by  the  large  accumulation 
of  data  kindly  put  at  my  disposal  by  my  many  correspondents 
in  this  connection.  The  general  remarks  are  the  outcome  of 
the  statistics,  and  contain,  I  believe,  little  or  nothing  that  is 
not  known  or  believed  by  some  of  the  landed  proprietors  and 
sportsmen  in  the  area  of  the  country  inhabited  by  the  species. 
I  have  not  attempted  to  give  my  authority  for  every  state- 
ment, where  such  a  large  amount  of  statistics  came  to  hand. 
Errors  no  doubt  must  have  crept  in  in  such  a  compilation,  for 
various  reasons,  but  I  believe  that  I  have  an  authority  for 
every  statistic  recorded. 

I  desire  in  this  place  to  thank  those  who  have  so  liberally 
assisted  me.  Had  it  not  been  for  their  interest  in  the  subject, 
their  never-wearying  and  hearty  co-operation,  and  their 
courteous  replies  to  my  inquiries,  it  is  needless  to  say  this 
Essay  could  not  have  laid  claim  to  the  minuteness  of  detail 
which  I  trust  it  will  be  found  to  possess.  Where  all  have 
assisted  so  liberally  it  might  seem  invidious  to  particularise  ; 


INTRODUCTION.  Xlll 

but  I  cannot  neglect  to  record  my  special  thanks  to  a  few 
who  have  apparently  spared  no  trouble  in  assisting  to  gather 
materials,  often  from  comparatively  large  areas,  thus  saving 
me  an  infinitude  of  time  and  labour,  and  a  vast  amount  of 
personal  investigation.  I  am  also  indebted  to  many  others 
for  assistance  in  the  searches  through  old  books  in  tracing  the 
early  history  of  the  species  in  Scotland,  and  to  several  Gaelic 
scholars  for  assistance  as  regards  the  origin  and  etymology  of 
the  word  "  Capercaillie." 

To  Sir  Kobert  Menzies,  Bart.,  I  am  obliged  for  some 
interesting  notes  of  the  earlier  movements  of  the  birds  at 
Taymouth,  and  for  other  information.  Colonel  Drummond 
Hay  of  Seggieden ;  Sir  Thomas  Moncrieffe,  Bart. ;  C.  T. 
C.  Grant,  Esq.  of  Kilgraston ;  Dr.  Macintosh  of  Murthly ; 
Mr.  E.  Baton  of  Berth;  and  Mr.  E.  Anderson,  Dunkeld, 
have  greatly  assisted  me  in  their  various  districts.  James 
Haldane,  Esq.  of  Cloanden,  A.  Burn -Murdoch,  Esq.,  and 
J.  Buchanan  Hamilton,  Esq.  of  Leny,  have  also  collected 
materials  for  me  between  Berth  and  Callander.  J.  J.  Dal- 
gleish,  Esq.  of  West  Grange,  has  assisted  me  in  the  south  of 
Berthshire;  James  Stirling,  Esq.  of  Garden,  and  others,  in 
the  south-west;  Mr.  Dayton  of  Lochearnhead  Hotel,  and 
David  Carnegie,  Esq.  of  Stronvar,  in  the  west  and  in  Glen 
Dochart.  My  friend,  W.  Horn,  Esq.,  has  collected  statistics 
from  various  parts  of  the  Tay  Valley,  and  also  from  other 
counties.  Besides  the  above  there  are  many  others,  repre- 
senting over  150  estates  in  Berthshire  alone,  from  whom  I 
have  received  returned  and  filled  circulars.  To  all  I  desire 
to  express  my  best  thanks. 

In  Eorfarshire  I  am  indebted  to  various  correspondents. 
Especially  I  should  mention  W.  Scott-Elliott,  Esq.  of  Eother- 


XIV  INTRODUCTION. 

ingham  and  Tealing;  W.  Horn,  Esq.,  for  the  Brechin  and 
Stracathro  district ;  and  many  others  too  numerous  to  men- 
tion, representing  some  20-30  estates  in  the  county. 

In  Fifeshire  my  thanks  are  specially  due  to  J.  Purvis, 
Esq.  of  Kinaldy,  Charles  Kinnear,  Esq.  of  Kinloch,  William 
Baillie  Skene,  Esq.  of  Pitlour,  J.  J.  Dalgleish,  Esq.  of  West 
Grange,  J.  Home,  Esq.  of  Thomanean,  Kobert  TuUis,  Esq., 
and  others. 

In  Kinross-shire  I  am  obliged  to  David  Syme,  Esq.,  Sheriff 
of  Kinross,  and  to  Messrs.  Bethune,  Henderson,  and  Bums 
Begg,  for  very  full  particulars;  also  to  Harry  Young,  Esq. 
of  Cleish. 

In  StirHngshire,  James  Stirling,  Esq.  of  Garden,  T.  G. 
Dundas,  Esq.  of  Torwood,  Sir  James  Gibson-Maitland,  Bart, 
of  Sauchie,  T.  Bolton,  Esq.  of  Carbrook,  and  others,  represent- 
ing all  the  more  important  localities  in  the  county,  have 
assisted  me. 

In  the  south  of  Scotland  I  am  indebted  to  several 
correspondents,  amongst  whom  I  may  mention  the  Eev. 
James  Porteous  of  Ballantrae. 

In  Arran  I  received  a  very  fuU  account  of  the  restoration 
there  from  Mr.  George  Croll 

In  Argyleshire,  amongst  others,  I  would  mention  the 
Eev.  Alexander  Stewart  of  Nether  Lochaber,  for  much  interest- 
ing matter. 

In  the  north  of  Scotland  my  friend  Thomas  Mackenzie, 
Esq.,  Sheriff  of  Dornoch,  has  materially  assisted  me  in  Suther- 
landshire ;  and  the  Eev.  George  Gordon  of  Bimie,  and  Captain 
Dunbar  Brander  of  Pitgaveny,  in  Elgin  and  Banff. 

To  the  Factors,  Foresters,  Gamekeepers,  and  many  others 
who  have  sent  me  returns  from  single  estates  or  localities,  I 


INTRODUCTION.  XV 

desire  to  express  my  best  thanks.  It  was  upon  these  single 
returns  that  I  depended  in  great  measure  for  assistance  in 
tracing  out  the  steps  of  advance ;  and  from  the  letters  of  my 
many  obliging  correspondents  I  often  culled  interesting 
additional  facts. 

I  may  mention  that  I  have  distributed  more  than  450 
circulars  to  parties  situated  in  all  parts  of  the  area  at  present 
occupied  or  visited  by  the  species.  By  far  the  larger  portion 
of  these  have  been  returned  with  the  answers  filled  in,  more 
or  less  fully,  according  to  the  amount  of  information  my  vari- 
ous correspondents  had  to  impart. 

Finally,  Eobert  Warrep,  Esq.  of  Moyview,  SHgo,  Colonel 
Edward  H.  Cooper,  of  Markree  Castle,  Sligo,  and  A.  G-.  More, 
Esq.,  Dublin,  have  rendered  me  valuable  assistance,  some  of 
the  results  of  which  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix,  as  they 
arrived  somewhat  too  late  for  insertion  in  the  text :  and  to 
my  friend  Mr.  Eobert  Currie  I  am  indebted  for  the  careful 
and  beautiful  execution  of  his  subjects,  in  illustrating  the 
text,  with  the  frontispiece,  vignette,  and  other  pieces. 


PAET  I. 

DERIVATION  OF  THE  WORD  "  CAPERCAILLIE." 


CHAPTER   I. 

DERIVATION. 

There  can  scarcely  be  any  doubt  that  the  word  Capercaillie 
or  Capercailzie,  with  all  the  many  variations  in  spelling/ 
comes  direct  from  the  Gaelic.  The  opinions  of  authorities, 
nevertheless,  seem  to  differ  in  no  small  degree  as  to  the 
correct  Gaelic  origin  of  the  word,  and  much  confusion  exists 
as  to  the  true  meaning.^ 

This  paper  would  perhaps  scarcely  be  considered  complete 
under  its  title  if  some  notice  of  these  different  opinions  were 
not  taken,  but  the  present  writer  having  no  knowledge  what- 
ever of  the  Gaelic  language,  must  be  satisfied  with  simply 
stating  these  views,  without  committing  himself  to  any  one 
of  them. 

The  Eev.  Dr.  T.  Maclauchlan,  in  a  letter  to  Eev.  G. 
MacArthur,  25th   March  1876,  holds   the  following  views, 

^  See  further  on,  p.  2. 

^  The  old  Scandinavian  name  of  the  Capercaillie,  as  I  am  informed  by  Dr. 
Meves  of  Stockholm— /c^e  Dr.  T.  W.  Lindblad,  editor  of  the  '  Swedish  Hunting 
Journal'  (Nija  Yagore  Forbundets  Tidskrift ;  Stockholm)— '* is  thictdur  (in 
English  spelling,  chaidur),  often  with  the  appendix  tupp,  denoting  the  cock, 
the  he-bird.  That,  again,  has  a  great  many  provincial  and  local  variations,  such 
as  tjdddr,  tedur,  ijdlur,  tjuder,  tjdddur,  in  Dalecarlia — Udder,  sometimes  in 
Upland — and  so  on.  In  Vermland  sometimes  tjur-lian,  denoting  the  rich 
plumage  or  feather-garb  of  the  cock.  The  Norwegian  name  is  tiur.  This 
word  is  supposed  to  be  an  onomatopoetic  word,  imitating  as  far  as  possible  the 
peculiar  *  playing '  sound  of  the  Capercaillie  "  {in  lit.) 

B 


2  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

and  his  reputation  as  a  Gaelic  scholar  and  voluminous 
Gaelic  author  entitles  these  views  to  the  highest  considera- 
tion : — 

About  the  second  part  of  the  word  Dr.  Maclauchlan  con- 
siders there  can  be  little  room  for  doubt,  and  most  Gaelic 
scholars  appear  to  agree  in  this ;  but  the  first  part  of  the 
word,  he  acknowledges,  is  more  difi&cult.  He  says — 
"  '  CabJiar,'  pronounced  '  Gavar,'  means,  according  to  our  dic- 
tionaries, a  hawk  or  old  bird.  It  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that  it 
is  the  word  spelled  '  Caper.'  There  is  a  similar  word  used  in 
the  name  for  a  snipe,  '  Gahhar-athar'  thought  by  some  to 
mean  the  goat  of  the  air,  from  its  bleating  note.  But,"  Dr. 
Maclauchlan  continues,  "  it  is  a  masculine  noun,  and  '  gahhar' 
a  goat,  is  feminine.  I  therefore  lean  to  the  idea  that  both  in 
Cdbhar-athar  and  Gahhar-coille — the  one  being  the  hird  of  the 
air,  and  the  other  the  hird  of  the  woods — the  original  term  is 
Gdbhar."  Dr.  Maclauchlan  considers  that  "  Gaber-coille "  is 
the  orthography  which  comes  nearest  to  the  original.  In  a 
later  letter  to  Professor  Newton — who  at  that  time  was  pre- 
paring an  article  on  the  Capercaillie  for  the  Encyclopcedia 
Britannica,  and  who  has  kindly  put  the  above  correspond- 
ence at  my  disposal — Dr.  Maclauchlan  states  that  the  word 
Gahhar  is  not  one  in  common  use,  and  that  "  we  are  indebted 
for  its  meaning  to  our  dictionaries,  except  in  so  far  as  it  may 
enter  into  the  formation  of  words  like  Gapercoille.  The  Latin 
se7iex,  so  far  as  I  apprehend,  comes  nearest  to  the  meaning  of 
'  old '  in  cabhar,  '  not  antiquus!  There  is  a  playful  way  of 
applying  such  words  to  the  formation  of  names  in  Gaelic. 
For  example  : — Bodach  is  an  old  man,  and  Bodach-ruadh,  the 
red  old  man,  is  the  rock-cod.  Gailleach  is  an  old  woman,  and 
Gailleach-aidhche,  the  old  woman  of  the  night,  is  the  owl.  I 
think  the  Cabhar  in  this  case  is  similarly  applied." 

Professor  Newton  {Encyc.  Brit,  art.  "  Capercally  ")  says : — 
"  Cabhar,  an  old  man,  by  metaphor  an  old  hird,  which  is  the 


DERIVATION.  3 

acceptation  of  Dr.  Maclauchlan's   meaning  =  the  old  bird 
of  the  wood,  the  Capercaillie."  ^ 

^  On  the  other  hand,  not  a  few  Gaelic  scholars  consider  that  Capercaillie 
is  derived  from  *' CapuU,  a  horse,"  see  capel,  capell,  caples — Chaucer,  line 
170, 13-4 — vide  Bayley's  ^IHctionarium Britannicum'  =  cahallus — "or,  more 
correctly,  a  mare.  Capull  is  a  masculine  noun,  but  at  the  present  day  is 
limited  in  its  application  to  a  mare,  and  Coille,  a  woody  This  reading  gives 
'■'■  H(yrse  of  the  woods."  In  Argyleshire  and  Lochaber  the  bird  is  stiU  known 
by  the  name  Capullcoille.  So  also  it  is  considered  by  several  correspondents 
who  are  good  Gaelic  scholars.  Amongst  others,  the  Rev.  Alexander  Stewart 
of  Nether  Lochaber  says  : — "It  is  called  'Horse  of  the  woods,'  because  of 
its  size,  strength,  and  beauty,  as  compared  with  other  wood  birds"  {in  lit.) ; 
and  he  further  mentions  that  the  name  Capullcoille  is  found  in  Gaelic  songs 
of  the  beginning  of  this  century.  The  Rev.  Lachlan  Shaw,  in  his  ^History  of 
tJie  Province  of  Moray ^  (1775),  also  assigns  this  derivation:  "properly,  in 
Erse,  Capal  coile,  i.e.  The  Wood  Horse,  being  the  chief  fowl  of  the  woods," 
{op.  cit.  p.  207).  In  Stratheam,  in  the  south  of  Perthshire,  where  native 
Gaelic  is  now  almost  extinct,  the  name  still  lingers  in  this  form.  The  first 
author  of  a  Gaelic  dictionary — M 'Donald,  an  Argyle  man — thus  renders  it, 
and  all  subsequent  authors  of  Gaelic  dictionaries  do  so  likewise.  Mr.  D. 
Mackinnon,  who  has  most  kindly  taken  great  trouble  in  this  connection, 
looked  up  all  the  Gaelic  dictionaries  accessible,  and  informs  me  that  all, 
without  exception,  give  Capull  coille.  "  None  have  caper,  cabar,  or  cahTier.^"* 
..."  The  first  Gaelic  dictionary,"  Mr.  Mackinnon  informs  me,  "was  written 
by  M 'Donald,  an  Argyle  man,  in  1741.  Shaw,  a  native  of  Arran,  prepared 
the  next  dictionary,  and  published  it  in  1780.  Two  small  dictionaries  were 
published  in  the  latter  part  of  the  century  by  two  Macfarlanes.  In  this 
century  our  two  standard  dictionaries — Armstrong's,  a  Saxon  domiciled  in 
Perth,  and  the  Highland  Society's,  prepared  by  scholars  from  all  parts  of  the 
country — were  published  in  1825  and  1828  respectively.  There  followed 
them  M'Leod  and  Dewar's,  two  clergymen  from  difierent  parts  of  the 
country  ;  M 'Alpine's,  an  Islay  man  ;  and  M'Eachan's,  a  Roman  Catholic 
priest,  who  spent  his  life,  or  the  greater  part  of  it,  in  Braemar,  The  only 
Irish  dictionary  I  turned  up  has  Capullcoille,  quoted  from  Shaw.  In  the 
Scoto-Irish  Dictionary,  given  in  Llhuyd's  ' Archoeologia  Britannica,'  the  word 
does  not  appear. " 

Besides  the  above  opinion,  we  have  other  derivations  given.  Jamieson,  in 
his  ^Dictionary  of  the  Scottish  Language' — Supplement,  1825, — has  as  follows: — 
"Capercailye — yeane."  A  literary  friend  in  the  North  of  Scotland  views 
Capercailye  as  compounded  of  Gael.  ,  Cabar,  a  branch,  and  Caolach,  a  cock. 
[Jamieson  quotes  the  Scotch  translator  of  Boece — BeUenden — here  :  "  Gaelic, 
Caolach;  C.  B.,  Kelliog ;  Corn.,  Kulliog ;  Arm.,  Kiliog ;  Irish,  Kyleach,  a 
cock  ; "  by  which  another  element  of  confusion  is  introduced.  ]  Cabar  also 
means  an  eminence,  or  the  mountain,  which  may  have  led  writers  astray  iiv 
talking  of  the  Capercaillie  as  specially  "inhabiting  mountains"  (v.  Burt, 
Ray,  and  others).     Jenyns  gets  out  of  the  difficulty  by  saying  "  mountainous 


4  THE  CAPEECAILLIE. 

forests."  (I  presume  he  used  "forests"  in  the  usual  sense,  and  not  in  that 
of  "a  forest  or  chase.") 

We  are  not  yet  done  with  combinations,  as  we  have  Capullcaolach,  Horse- 
cock  ;  and  Yarrel,  'British  Birds  ^  {1st  edition),  seems  inclined  to  entertain 
this  view,  and  finds  parallels  in  "Horse-mackerell,"  "Horse-fly,"  (?)  "Horse- 
leech." Or  in  German,  "Auerhan;"  Dutch,  "Ouerhan;"  or  the  Latin, 
"urugallus"  (urus,  a  wild  bull).  Thus,  again,  Bull-finch,  Bull-trout,  etc., 
but  some  of  these  names  can  be  traced  to  other  sources  than  pre-eminence  in 
size  or  strength  ;  at  all  events  the  origins  of  such  compounds  are  not  by  any 
means  always  clear  enough  to  admit  of  generalisation. 

There  are  other  combinations,  but  the  above -given  —  along  with  Dr. 
Maclauchlan's— appear  to  be  the  most  important.  In  order  to  obtain  the 
correct  translations  of  Gaelic  names,  we  must  not,  I  believe,  go  to  the  Gaelic 
scholar  aZowe,  but  first  to  the  shepherd  or  crofter,  whose  family  has  for  genera- 
tions lived  upon  the  same  land,  and  whose  father  or  grandfather  was  very 
likely  the  person  who  first  applied  the  names,  and  which,  being  handed  down 
from  father  to  son,  would  preserve  their  purity  of  pronunciation,  intonation, 
and  significance,  as  well  as,  probably,  a  relation  of  the  circumstances  under 
which  they  were  so  named. 


CHAPTEE  11. 

OKTHOGRAPHY. 

We  now  come  to  consider  the  Orthograpliy  of  the  presently 
accepted  word — Ga'percaillie,  Capercailzie^  or  Gapercally  — 
with  all  the  minor  variations  in  the  spelling  of  the  terminal 
half — caillie.  We  may  accept  it  as  coming  from  the  Gaelic 
coille} 

1  Some  of  these  variations  are  {a)  Capercailye  ;  first  used  by  Bellenden  in 
his  translation  of  Hector  Boetius  in  1553.  Bellenden  has  always  been  looked 
upon  as  one  of  the  best — if  not  the  very  best — authorities  on  the  subject  of 
good  old  Scotch.  He  is  followed,  as  late  as  1808,  by  Dr.  Jamieson  in  his 
Scottish  Dictionary,  and  also  in  the  Supplement  in  1825,  with  Capercalye  and 
Capercalyeane.  (5)  Capercailles. — This  is  used  by  John  Graham  Dalyell  in 
his  edition  (1813)  of  '  The  Chronicles  of  Scotland,'  compiled  from  the  original 
manuscripts,  going  back  as  far  as  1436 — from  which  date  the  chroniclers 
continued  the  accounts  of  the  Latin  author — Hector  Boece — and  his  subsequent 
translator  ;  and  Mr.  Dalyell  is  careful  to  "preserve  the  old  spellings"  used 
in  these  manuscripts,  which  cannot  be  said  to  have  been  the  case  in  preceding 
editions.  In  the  second  edition,  however  (1749),  we  find  the  spelling  Caper- 
caillie.  This  last  is  also  used  by  King  James  VI.  in  1617  (see  *  Old  Stat.  Acct. 
of  Scotland,'  xx.  473),  and  has  been  adopted  by  later  writers,  as  Hewitson — 
^ Eggs  of  British  Birds'*  (1856),  p.  277.  (c)  Capercaile  {v.  Foster,  '  Synoptical 
Cat.  of  Brit.  Birds'  (1817),  p.  19.  (d)  Capercaly — Blaine,  '  En^yc.  Rural 
Sports,'  p.  82  ;  and  Capercallie.  {e)  Capercali — Lloyd's  '  Game  Birds  of 
Sweden.'  (/)  Capercally  and  CaperTcally — Newton,  ^  Encyc.  Brit.,'  m.n\h 
edition,  quoting  Pennant ;  and  A.  G.  More,  '  Ibis '  (1865).  I  cannot  find 
Pennant's  authority  in  the  old  law  books  for  the  use  of  this  spelling,  but  old 
scribes  sometimes  spell  a  proper  name  two  or  three  difierent  ways  in  the  same 
page,  {g)  Capercalze  is  first  used  by  Bishop  Leslie  (Ed.  of  1675,  and  also  in 
the  earlier  edition  of  1578),  and  was  again  used  in  Scots  Acts,  James  VI., 
1621,  XXX.,  with  the  variation,  CaperJcailzeis ;  and  this  is  followed  by  other 


6  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

To  begin  at  the  beginning. — Some  people  assert  that  to 
spell  it  with  a  z  is  the  best  Scotch,  but  I  am  of  opinion  that, 
there  being  no  y  nor  z  in  GaeKc,  and  the  word  being  distinctly 
of  Gaelic  origin,  it  is  best  to  adhere  in  form  as  closely  as 
possible  to  that  origin.  But  granting,  in  the  meantime,  the 
admission  of  y  or  z,  then  I  think  if  the  z  be  used  it  ought  to 
be  silent,  as  in  many  other  Highland,  or,  I  should  say  Scotch, 
names  taken  originally  from  the  Gaelic,  such  as  Menzies, 
Monzie,  Colquhalzie  (pronounced  Co-why-lie),  Eohalzion, 
Dalrulzion,  Dalziell  (also  still  spelt  Dalyell),  and  others, 
mostly  proper  names.-^  Because,  in  old  printing,  a  z  was  con- 
stantly used  instead  of  a  y,  in  proof  of  which,  in  the  old  Scots 
Acts  of  Parliament  (see  James  VI.,  1621,  Act  xxx.),  the  word 
"  years"  is  spelt  "zeiris."  In  the  self-same  Act  occur  the  words 
"  caperTcailzeis  "  and  "  quailzies"  This  originated  doubtless  in 
a  printer's  error  in  reading  the  MS.,  or  if  not  an  error,  then 
because  y  and  z  in  old  type  were  generally  used  as  the  same 

writers,  with  other  slight  variations — v.  Sibbald,  'Scot.  Tllust.,'  p.  16.  Forster, 
{op.  dt.)  Blaine,  (op.  cit.)  MacGillivray,  Capercailzie,  (h)  Burt  'Letters 
from  N.  of  Scotland,'  1754,  vol.  ii.  p.  173,  uses  Cobber-keli/,  pointing  to  a 
derivation  from  Cabar — as  will  be  seen  further  on,  or  resulting  from  com- 
plications of  local  Gaelic  dialects.  (^)  Gapercaleg  is  used  by  Sir  Robert 
Gordon  in  his  '  History  of  the  Earldom  of  Sutherlatid,'  (1630,  published  in 
1813).  {k)  Sibbald,  *  Scot.  Illust.,'  {Tables  14,  18),  Latinizes  the  word  thus— 
Capricalca,  following  no  doubt  an  earlier  author,  Robert  Edward,  {'A  Descrip- 
tion of  Angus,''  translated  from  the  original  Latin  of  Edward,  minister  of 
Murroes  :  Dundee,  printed  by  T.  Colvill,  1793),  the  word  in  the  original 
being  Capricalcis  (ablative  plural).  For  further  notice  of  works  quoted,  see 
further  on,  p.  13.  A  very  full  list  of  the  names  it  has  received,  and  of  the 
spellings  used,  wUl  be  found  in  the  'Penny  Cyclopaedia,''  in  a  very  good 
article  on  the  species,  vol.  vi.,  p.  260.  Another  variation — Capercayllie — is 
found  in  a  '  Treatise  on  the  Game  Laws  of  Scotland,'  by  A.  Gregor,  1837, 
p.  9. 

^  There  are  other  words  which  possess  the  z  unpronounced,  such  as  the 
law-terms  assoilzie,  spuilzie,  tailzie,  and  others.  Jamieson's  Dictionxiry, 
however,  does  not  give  the  z  in  tailzie — but  '  taile,  tailye,  an  entail ;  tailyie, 
a  piece  of  meat. '  The  fact  of  Jamieson  omitting  the  z  and  substituting  y, 
points  to  his  knowledge  that  the  z  became  inserted  owing  to  the  scarcity  of 
the  letter  y  in  former  and  older  founts  of  type.  For  the  derivation  of  Monzie, 
see  '  Old  Stat.  Acct.  of  Scotland,'  vol.  xv.  (1795),  p.  241. 


ORTHOGRAPHY.  7 

letter ;  or  because,  in  default  of  y  being  sufficiently  repre- 
sented in  the  fount  of  type,  the  z  was  commonly  used  to 
replace  it,  or  vice  versa. 

I  may  even  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  it  was  probably  in 
this  way  that  the  z  came  to  be  introduced  into  all  the  above 
proper  names,  and  into  many  others  besides.     There  being  no 
z  in  Gaelic,  it  has  no  right  to  appear  in  words  of  Gaelic 
origin :  originating  in  error,  it  cannot  be  considered  as  good 
Scotch.     Indeed,  spelling  the  word  with  either  a  3/  or  a  2;  is 
perpetuating  an  error,  arising   from  a   misconception   of  a 
Gaelic  word  by  a  Lowlander.     Even  Bellenden — good  autho- 
rity as  he  is  justly  considered  as  an  author  of  Scotch  writing 
— cannot  be  followed  in  his  spelling  of  this  word,  viz..  Caper- 
cailye.     In   Gaelic  the   II  is   liquid,   like   the  French   lie; 
and,  as  explained  to  me  by  a  good  Gaelic  scholar — D.  Mac- 
kinnon,  Esq.,  of  Edinburgh — ^when  pronounced  slowly,  the 
sound  might  fairly  be  represented  in  Scotch  by  lyie.      As 
the  Eev.  Mr.  Macfadyen  has  pointed  out  to  me  {in  lit.)  this 
pronunciation  can  best  be  accomplished  by  dwelling  on  the 
second  I,  and  having  the  tip  of  the  tongue  "  not  touching  the 
roof  or  palate,  close  behind  the  teeth,  but  about  an  inch  far- 
ther back."     This  gives  the  ^/-sound  in  the  Gaelic ;  whence 
the  insertion  in  MS.  by  a  Lowlander  of  the  y ;  whence,  sub- 
sequently, the  substitution  of  a  2;  by  the  old  printers.     Many 
Highlanders  at  the  present  day  pronounce  the  last  half  of 
the  word  as  in  the  French  word  "  caille  " — a  quail ;  and  one 
individual,  when  saying  it,  added — "  without  the  '  eh!  which 
some  give  it."     Mr.  Macfadyen's  name,  as  he  himself  shows 
me,  is  another  good  illustration  of  the  insertion  of  the  y  and 
z.     He  says,  " I  spell  it  ' Macfadyen'  but  others  ' Macfad- 
zean ; '  but  in  old  registers  it  is  without  the  y  or  z,  thus — 
'  Macfadeanl  no  doubt  the   original   and  correct  spelling." 
Even  the  name  Mackenzie  in  the  old  Gaelic  name  has  no 
z.     It  was  MoAiConnich — nn,  like  II,  being  liquid  and  pro- 


8  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

longed — Connich  being  the  Gaelic  name  of  Kenneth,  and 
Mackenzie,  as  now  used,  being  really  the  son  of  Kenneth. 

But  since  the  above  was  written,  Professor  Newton  of 
Cambridge  has  called  my  attention  to  the  fact  Ihat  y  and  z 
were  used,  the  one  for  the  other,  long  before  the  days  of 
printing ;  "  and  old  English  MSS.  have,"  he  goes  on  to  say,  "a 
mysterious  letter  ^  or  q,  about  the  pronunciation  of  which 
some  of  the  best  old  English  scholars  are  in  doubt ;  for  in 
some  words  it  is  modernised  into  gh,  if  I  remember  right,  fre- 
quently into  y  consonant,  and  less  commonly  into  z" 

Though  this  may  appear  at  first  to  nullify  my  remarks  on 
the  interchange  of  y  and  z,  still  I  think  it  cannot  do  away 
with  them  altogether,  nor  can  it  alter  materially  the  fact  that 
there  being  no  y  nor  z  in  Gaelic,  these  letters  should  not  occur 
in  Gapercaillie,  unless,  as  Professor  Newton  suggests,  as  a  ter- 
minal letter,  thus — Ca;percally  or  Ca;perkally  (plural,  ies),  for 
the  English  method. 

A  good  illustration  of  the  MS.  use  of  the  letter  z  is  cnizt, 
knight.  In  the  Bannatyne  MS.,  written  in  1568 — as  I  am 
informed  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Murdoch,  Glasgow — there  are  many  z 
characters,  which,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Thomas  Dickson, 
Curator  of  the  Eegister  House,  Edinburgh,  ought  to  be  ren- 
dered as  y.  In  the  same  MS.  y  is  used  invariably  for  th. 
"  Therefore,"  Mr.  Murdoch  adds,  "  I  think  the  z  had  to  be 
used  for  y  where  y  was  intended."  According  to  some  of 
the  best  authorities  on  old  English  MS.,  however,  the  use  of 
z  seems  to  be  variously  and  differently  applied  from  the  use 
of  it  in  Scotch  MS., — ^both  as  y,  gh,  or  z,  or  s,  according  to  its 
position  in  the  words.  In  French  the  use  is  for  z  alone.  In 
some  words  in  old  English  MS.  it  stood  also  for  g,  {vide 
Morris  and  Skeat — "  Specimens  of  Early  English."  New  and 
revised  edition.  Part  II.  Oxford,  1872). 

Oapercally  or  Caperhally  may  perhaps  be  looked  upon  as 
the  correct  English  mode  of  spelling  the  word,  if  we  take 


ORTHOGRAPHY.  9 

Pennant  as  the  first  educated  person  who  wrote  it  down.  On 
this  point  Professor  Newton  writes  (m  lit),  "  Pennant,  who 
seems  to  have  been  the  first  British  (as  opposed  to  Scottish 
or  Irish  only)  naturalist  who  mentions  it  as  a  bird  of  this 
country,  says  that  it  was  called  '  in  the  old  law  books  Caper- 
hally!"  ...  I  have  hitherto  in  vain  searched  for  this  reading. 
"  I  suppose,"  continues  Professor  Newton,  "  he  intended  the 
second  a  to  be  sounded  broad ;"  and  if  so,  then,  doubtless, 
the  spelling  will  be  the  most  correct  EngKsh  mode.  We 
have  seen,  however,  that  Bellenden,  as  a  good  Scotch  writer, 
spells  it  Capercailye.  We  have  seen  why  the  y  should  be 
dismissed.  We  find  it  dismissed  by  another  excellent  Scot- 
tish writer  a  little  later,  who  compiles  "  from  original  manu- 
scripts," and  is  an  authority  upon  Scottish  writing ;  and  he 
writes  "  Capercailles"  which  is  again  changed  by  King  James 
VI.  into  "  Capercaillies"  which  I  think  should  be  accepted  as 
the  most  correct  Scotch  way  of  spelling  it,  and  approaching, 
moreover,  nearest  to  the  Gaelic  pronunciation,  as  already 
explained. 


PAKT   11. 

PEE-HISTORIC  EEMAINS, 

AND  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND 

PEIOE  TO  ITS  EXTINCTION. 


CHAPTEE   III. 

ANTIQUITY  OF  THE  SPECIES,  AS  SHOWN  IN  BONE  CAVES. 

Of  the  antiquity  of  the  Capercaillie  we  have  evidence 
amongst  the  kitchen-middens  of  Denmark,  where,  as  has 
been  shown  by  Mr.  Lubbock  {^Nat.  Hist.  Beview'  Oct.  1861, 
and  Jan.  1862),  and  by  Professor  Newton  ('  On  the  Zoology 
of  Ancient  Europe!  1862,  p.  10),  some  bones  of  this  species 
were  identified.  It  is  shown  also  that  these  kitchen-middens 
must  be  of  great  age,  as  the  present  old  beech-groves  of 
Denmark  must  have  been  preceded  by  an  epoch  of  oak 
forest,  "extending  over  several  generations  of  trees,"  and 
that  this  oak-epoch  was  preceded  by  the  era  of  pine,  which 
alone  could  have  supported  the  Capercaillie.  The  discovery 
of  these  Capercaillie  remains  created  almost  as  much  interest 
as  that  of  the  bones  of  the  Great  Auk  {Alca  impennis)  in  the 
same  kitchen-middens. 

Eemains  were  also  found  in  the  caves  of  Aquitaine 
('Un^yc.  Brit!,  9th  ed.,  vol.  v.  p.  53) ;  {'Reliquice  Aquitanicce '). 
Professor  Newton  has  quoted  for  me  the  passage  in  full : — 
"The  Capercaillie  is  rare  in  the  caves.  I  first  recognised 
its  remains  in  the  station  of  Sal^ve  (near  the  shore  of  the 
Lake  of  Geneva),  and  at  Verezzi  (in  Liguria).  Afterwards  I 
found  this  species  at  Bruniguel  and  Lacombe-Tayac ;  but  it 
is  represented  there  by  only  a  small  number  of  bones." 

The  fact  is  not  to  be  passed  by  without  remark  that  there 


14  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

appears  to  be  no  trace  whatever  of  remains  of  Capercaillies 
in  Scottish  kitchen-middens,  nor  amongst  any  pre-historic  re- 
mains. Birds'  bones  are  comparatively  rare  in  these  ash-pits, 
and  this  may  be  accounted  for  by  their  having  been  destroyed 
by  dogs.  Still,  some  birds'  remains  are  found  occasionally ; 
and  possibly,  if  attention  be  especially  directed  to  them,  some 
pre-historic  trace  of  the  Capercaillie  may  yet  be  found  in 
Scotland  or  Ireland. 


CHAPTEE    IV. 

HISTOKY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND  PRICE  TO  EXTINCTION ; 
AND  CAUSES  OF  EXTINCTION. 

Of  the  occurrence  of  the  Capercaillie  in  earlier  historic  times, 
and  prior  to  the  extinction  of  the  species  in  Scotland,  there 
is  not  much  to  relate  which  has  not  before  been  quoted  by- 
authors  ;  but  it  may  be  desirable  to  place  on  record  in  a 
connected  —  and,  as  far  as  possible,  a  chronological  —  form, 
the  more  important  notices. 

1526.  Hector  Boetius  first  makes  mention  of  the  species 
{'Hist  Scotorum.  Scot.  Begn.  Descript.\  fol.  xii.  47 ;  and  Bellen- 
den's  Translation,  1553).^  To  preserve  the  continuity  of 
our  account,  I  give  it  here  in  full.  (It  has  been  quoted 
before  often.     See  MacGillivray  ;  'Hist  of  Brit  Birds!) 

"  Avium  raptu  viventium.  Aquilse  sunt,  Falcones,  Acci- 
pitres,  et  id  genus  aKse.  Caeterum  Aquatilium  tam  varius 
ingensque  est  numerus,  ut  pro  miraculo  notari  haud  ridiculum 
est.  Sed  medii  inter  eas  qusedam  generis  praeter  csetera  re- 
periuntur  aliis  regionibus  incognita.  Unum  magnitudine 
corvum  paulo  superans  Auercalze,  i.  silvestris  equi  apelati, 
solius  pinus  arboris  extremis  flageUis  victitantes."  He  then 
treats  of  Eed  Grouse  and  Black  Game,  with  scarcely  so  much 

^  A  later  edition  is  *  *  Scotorum  Historise  a  prima  gentis  origine  cum  aliaram 
et  rerum  et  gentium  illustratione  non  vulgari,  Libri  xix.  Accessit  huic  edi- 
tione  continuatio,  per  Joannem  Ferrerium.     Fol.,  Paris,  1574." 


16  THE  CAPEECAILLIE. 

accuracy  in  his  description,  though  MacGillivray's  criticism 
is  not  quite  correct  either  {op.  cit.  p.  143,  lines  3, 4,  and  5,  from 
foot  of  page). 

1528-29.  In  '  The  Chronicles  of  Scotland '  ^  it  is  mentioned 
that  King  James  V.  "  returned  to  Edinburgh,"  and  the  next 
summer  (i.e.  1529)  went  to  "Atholl  to  the  huntis"  (vol.  ii.  pp. 
343-4).  "  The  Earl  of  Atholl .  . .  maid  great  and  gorgeous 
provisioun  for  him  in  all  thingis  pertaining  to  ane  prince  .  .  . 
.  . .  with  fleshis,  beiff  and  mutton,  lamb,  veill,  and  vennison, 
goose,  gryse,  capon,  cunning,  cran,  swan,  pairtrick,  plever, 
duik,  drake,  brissel,  cock,^  and  paunies,  black-cock,  and  muir- 
foull,  capercailles,"  etc.  (op.  cit.  p.  345). 

1578.  Bishop  Lesly  ('Besc.  Beg.  Bcotice ' — which  is  dedicated 
to  Pope  Gregory  XIII. — 'Kal.  Januar.'  1578)  fixes  a  locality 
for  the  Capercaillie.  The  following  is  quoted  for  me  by 
Professor  Newton  from  the  edition  of  1675,  Boma,^.  24:^ 

"  In  Eossia  quoque  Louquhabria  (i.e.  Lochaber)  atque  aliis 
montanis  locis  non  desunt  abietes,  in  quibus  avis  qusedam 
rarissima  Capercalze,  id  est  Sylvester  equus  vulgo  dictu, 
frequens  sedit  corvo  iUa  quidem  minor,  quse  palatum  edenti- 
cum,  sapore  longe  gratissimo  delinit.  Yictitat  ex  solis  abietis 
extremis  flagellis :  Alia  avis  est  etiam  in  his  regionibus 
numerosa,  superiore  minor  hirsutis  pedibus  palpebris  rubri- 
cantibus  nostri  gallum  tesquorum  dicunt." 

^  ^' The  Chronicles  of  Scotland,  by  Robert  Lindsay  of  Pitscottie,  Edin- 
burgh, 1814,  by  John  Graham  DalyelL"  This  is  the  best  edition,  as  it  was 
compiled  direct  from  the  old  manuscripts,  and  retains  the  old  spellings.  In 
Dalyell's  edition  it  is  said  to  be  a  quotation  from  a  later  manuscript,  and  it  is 
added  ''This  passage  bears  strong  evidence  of  interpolation."  Mr.  Thomas 
Dickson,  Superintendent,  Search  Department,  Register  House,  informs  me 
that  he  "does  not  think  it  is  mentioned" — i.e.  the  Capercaillie — "in  the 
household  books  of  James  V.,  in  which  most  of  the  viands  then  in  use  are 
mentioned."  Extracts  from  this  record  are  published  by  the  Bannatyne  Club, 
called  "  Excerpia  e  libris  Domicilii  JacoH  V." 

2  "  Brissel,  cock  "  (sic),  probably  for  "brissel- cock,"  or  coq  de  hroussailes, 
as  suggested  in  lit.  by  Prof.  Newton. 

^  The  edition  of  1578  has  the  above  at  p.  25. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND.  17 

1617.  In  a  letter  written  by  King  James  VI.  to  the  Earl 
of  Tullibardine,  ancestor  of  the  Duke  of  Athole,  in  1617, 
"  Capercaillies  "  are  mentioned.  As  the  passage  is  interesting, 
we  give  it  in  full : — "  James,  Eight  trustie  and  right  well- 
beloved  cosen  and  counsellor,  We  greet  thee  well.  Albeit  our 
knowledge  of  your  dutiful  affection  to  the  good  of  our  service 
and  your  countrie's  credite  doeth  sufficientlie  persuade  us 
that  you  will  earnestlie  endeavour  yourself  to  express  the 
same  be  all  means  in  your  power;  yet  there  being  some 
things  in  that  behalf  requisite,  which  seem  notwithstanding 
of  so  meane  moment  as  in  that  regaird,  both  you  and  others 
might  neglect  the  same,  if  our  love  and  care  of  that  our  native 
kingdom  made  Us  not  the  more  to  trie  their  nature  and 
necessity,  and  accordingly  to  give  order  for  preparation  of 
every  thing  that  may  in  any  sort  import  the  honour  and 
credite  thereof.  Which  consideration,  and  the  known  com- 
moditie  yee  have  to  provide,  Capercallies  and  termigantis,  have 
moved  us  very  earnestlie  to  request  you  to  employ  both  your 
oune  paines  and  the  travelles  of  your  friendis  for  provision  of 
each  kind  of  the  saidis  foules,  to  be  now  and  then  sent  to  us 
be  way  of  present,  be  means  of  our  deputy-tresaurer ;  and  so 
as  the  first  sent  thereof  may  meet  us  on  the  19  th  of  April  at 
Durham,  and  the  rest  as  we  shall  happen  to  meet  and  ran- 
counter  them  in  other  places  on  our  way  from  thence  to 
Berwick.  The  raritie  of  these  foules  will  both  make  their 
estimation  the  more  pretious,  and  confirm  the  good  opinion 
conceaved  of  the  good  cheare  to  be  had  there.  For  which 
respectis,  not  doubting  but  that  yee  will  so  much  the  more 
earnestlie  endeavour  yourself  to  give  us  good  satisfaction 
anent  the  premises,  as  yee  will  do  us  acceptable  service.  We 
bid  you  farewell.— At  Whitehall  the  14th  Marche  1617." 
(*  Old  Stat.  Acct.  of  Scotland'  xx.  473.  See  also  under  Parish 
of  Dowally,  farther  on,  p.  25.) 

C 


18  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

1618.  In  Taylor's  '  Visit  to  the  Brea  of  Marr,'  in  1618,^ 
there  occurs  the  following  passage  (p.  135) : — 

"  Thus  with  extreme  traveU,  ascending  and  descending, 
mounting  and  alighting,  I  came  straight  to  this  place  where 
I  would  be,  in  the  Brea  of  Marr,  which  is  a  large  county  .  .  . 

"  My  good  Lord  of  Marr  having  put  me  into  that  shape,  I 
rode  with  him  from  his  house,  where  I  saw  the  mines  of  an 
old  castle,  called  the  Castle  of  Kindroghit.  ...  It  was  the 
last  house  I  saw  in  those  parts ;  for  I  was  the  space  of  twelve 
dayes  after,  before  I  saw  either  house,  cornefield,  or  habitation 
for  any  creature  but  deere,  wilde  horses,  wolves,  and  such 
Like  creatures.  .  .  . 

"  Thus  the  first  day  wee  traveld  eight  miles,  where  there 
were  small  cottages  built  on  purpose  to  lodge  in,  which  they 
call  Lonquhards.  I  thanke  my  good  Lord  Erskin,  hee  com- 
manded that  I  should  alwayes  be  lodged  in  his  lodging,  the 
kitchen  being  alwayes  on  the  side  of  a  banke,  many  kettles 
and  pots  boyling,  and  many  spits  turning  and  winding,  with 
great  variety  of  cheere :  as  venison  bak't,  sodden,  rost,  and 
stu'de,  beefe,  mutton,  goates,  kid,  hares,  fresh  salmon,  pidgeon, 
hens,  capons,  chickens,  partridge,  moorecoots,  heathcocks, 
caperkellies,  and  termagants.  .  .  . 

"  All  these,  and  more  than  these,  we  had  continually  in 
superfluous  abundance,  caught  by  faulcons,  fowlers,  .  .  . 
to  victuale  our  campe,  which  conseisteth  of  fourteen  or  fifteen 
hundred  men  and  horses.  ... 

1  "All  the   Workes  of  John  Taylor,  the    Water-Poet,  Seeing  Siody  and 
three  in  Number,  Collected  into  One   Volume  by  the  Author :   With  Sundry 
new  additions,  corrected,  revised,  and  n^wly  imprinted,  1630.     At  London, 
prints  by  J.  B.  for  James  Boler,  at  the  figure  of  the  Marigold  in  PauVs 
Churchyard,  1630.     Folio.'"     At  page  122  it  is  mentioned  he  left  London 
*  *  The  yeere  of  grace,  accounted  (as  I  weene) 
One  thousand,  twice  three  hundred  and  eighteen, 
And,  to  relate  all  things  in  order  duly, 
'Twas  Tuesday  last,  the  foureteenthe  day  of  July." 
I  am  indebted  to  Professor  Kewton  for  kindly  transcribing  this  passage  and 
title  for  me  at  length. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND.  19 

"  Thus  having  spent  certaine  dayes  in  hunting  in  the 
Brea  of  Marr,  wee  went  to  the  next  county,  called  Bagenoch, 
belonging  to  the  Earle  of  Engie.  .  .  ." 

1621.  The  species  is  mentioned  in  '  The  Old  Acts  of  the 
Scottish  Parliament!  notably  in  the  reign  of  James  VI.,  a.d. 
1621  (Act.  XXX.),  where  provision  was  made  against  the  buy- 
ing and  selling  of  "  wyld  fouUes,"  amongst  which  were  in- 
cluded : — "  termigantis,  quailzeis,  cajperhailzeis,  etc.,"  under  a 
penalty  of  a  hundred  pounds.^ 

1630.  Sir  Eobert  Gordon  {'History  of  the  Earldom  of 
Sutherland,  up  to  the  year  1630,' — not  published,  however, 
until  1818),  mentions  the  species  as  at  that  time  inhabiting 
the  county.  The  passage  containing  the  record  is  as  fol- 
lows : — 

"  All  these  forrests  and  schases  are  verie  profitable  for 
feiding  of  bestiall,  and  delectable  for  hunting.  They  are  full 
of  reid  deir  and  roes,  woulffs,  foxes,  wyld  catts,  brocks,  skuyr- 
rells,  whitrets,  weasels,  otters,  martrixes,  hares,  and  fumarts. 
In  these  forrests,  and  in  all  this  province,  ther  is  great  store 
of  partridges,  pluivers,  capercalegs,  blackwaks,  murefowls, 
heth-hens,  swanes,  bewters,  turtle-doves,  herons,  dowes, 
steares  or  stirlings,  lairigigh  or  knag  (which  is  a  foull  lyk 
vnto  a  paroket  or  parret,  which  maks  place  for  her  nest  with 
her  beck,  in  the  oak  trie),  duke,  draig,  widgeon,  teale,  wild- 
gouse,  ringouse,  routs,  whaips,  shot-whaips,  woodcok,  larked 
sparrowes,  snyps,  blackburds  or  osills,  meweis,  thrushes,  ann 
all  other  kinds  of  wild  foule  and  birds,  which  ar  to  be  had  is, 
any  pairt  of  this  kingdome." 

This  passage  has  been  quoted  frequently  before — see  the 
*  New  Stat.  Ace.  of  the  County ; '  also  *  Proc,  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  of 
Glasgow!  January  3,  1871 ;  Separate- Revised,  1874,  p.  69. 

1651.  In  '  The  Black  Booh  of  Taymouth '  (Bannatyne  Club 
Puhns.,  1855),  pp.  433-34,  occurs  the  following  passage,  which 

1  Also  in  Act  1600,  c.  23  {fide  Irvine,  *  Game  Laws  of  Scotland,'  p.  5).  ^ 


20  THE  CAPERCAILLTE. 

is  partly  quoted  in  Irvine's  '  A  Treatise  on  the  Game  Laios  of 
Scotland,'  pp.  59-60  : — "  To  the  Eight  Worshipful!,  his  much 
honoured  freind  the  Laird  of  Glenorquhy,  thes  : — Much  hon- 
oured Sir,  Immediatlie  after  the  receat  of  your  letter  on 
Saturday,  I  went  and  shew  your  Capercailzie  to  the  king  in 
his  bedchamber,  who  accepted  it  weel  as  a  raretie,  for  he  had 
never  seen  any  of  them  before."  Signed  "  Jo.  Dickson. 
Perth,  the  3.  of  Februar.  1651." 

1678.  In  a  small  pamphlet  entitled: — 'A  Description  of 
Angus,  translated  from  the  original  Latin  of  Bdbert  Edward, 
Minister  of  Murroes — Dundee.  Dundee :  printed  hy  T.  Colvill 
— 1793,'  ^  a  passage  occurs  at  p.  17,  as  foUows : — "  Angus  is 
well  stored  with  tame  fowl  and  the  larger  kinds  of  birds,  as 
hens  of  Brazil,  peacocks,  geese,  and  ducks.  Pigeon-houses 
are  frequent.  The  mountains  and  heaths  abound  with  par- 
tridge, grouse,^  and  plover,  etc.  etc."  To  this  the  translator 
adds  the  io^owing  footnote : — "*The  word  in  the  original, 
here  rendered  'grouse' — or  moor-fowl — is  Capricalcis  (Ab- 
lative plural).  The  translator  could  not  find  this  word  in 
any  dictionary  to  which  he  had  access."  The  translator  also 
takes  notice  in  the  same  footnote,  that  the  last  one  that  was 
seen  was  about  thirty  years  ago  in  Strathspey,  and  adds  : — 
"  It  is  still  an  inhabitant  of  Sweden  and  Norway,  and  also  of 
some  parts  of  Wales."  Here  there  is  probably  again  some 
confusion ;  and  as  regards  Wales,  true  grouse  are  no  doubt 
intended. 

1684.  Sibbald,  in  'Scotia  Illustrata'  1684,  includes  the 
"  Capercalze  "  in  his   treatment   of  the    subject : — '  De  ani- 

1  In  the  Preface,  or,  as  it  is  styled,  "Advertisement,"  it  is  stated  : — 
"  The  following  description  of  Angus  was  originally  WTitten  in  Latin,  by  Robert 
Edward,  minister  of  Murroes,  and  published  in  the  year  1678,  along  with  a 
pretty  large  map  of  the  county,  executed  by  the  same  hand. "  The  only  copy 
of  the  original  was  found — it  goes  on  to  say — about  ten  or  twelve  years  ago, 
at  the  House  of  Panmure  among  some  loose  papers,  etc.  Dr.  J.  A.  Smith,  of 
Edinburgh,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  the  above  extracts,  informs  me  that 
the  pamphlet  is  in  the  Signet  Library,  Edinburgh. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND.  21 

malibiis  Scotice,'  p.  16 ;  and  in  Tables  14  and   18,  figures 
male  and  female,  '  Capricalea.' 

1754.  Burt  (' Letters  from  the  North  of  Scotland'  1754, 
vol.  ii.  p.  169),  says  : — "  Of  the  eatable  part  of  the  feathered 
kind  peculiar  to  the  mountains,  is  : — First,  the  Cobber-kely, 
which  is  sometimes  called  a  wild  turkey,  but  not  like  it 
otherwise  than  in  size.  This  is  very  seldom  to  be  met  with, 
being  an  inhabitant  of  very  high  and  unfrequented  hills,  and 
is  therefore  esteemed  a  great  rarity  for  the  table."  This 
record  brings  us  down  close  upon  itiS«e:^tinction  in  Scotland. 
Jamieson,  in  his  later  edition  of  Burt'S  '  Letters,'  adds  a  foot- 
note : — "  The  Capercaillie,  capulcoillie,  avercailye,  became 
extinct  in  Great  Britain  about  this  time,  or  shortly  after," 
i.e.  about  the  date  of  Burt's  letter  xxi.  (1754?)— Edin.  1818, 
p.  71. 

1775.  In  '  A  History  of  the  Province  of  Moray '  (1775), 
by  Eev.  Lachlan  Shaw,  2d  edition,  1827,  p.  207,  occurs  a 
somewhat  full  notice  of  the  Capercaillie,  as  follows  : — "  The 
harmless  wild  fowls  are  the  swan,  Caperkylie  (called  also  Cock 
of  the  Wood) ;  in  Latin,  Capricalea,  as  if  he  infested  the 
goats ;  but  properly,  in  Erse,  Capal-coil — i.e.,  the  Wood  Horse, 
being  the  chief  fowl  in  the  woods.  He  resembles,  and  is  of 
the  size,  of  a  turkey-cock,  of  a  dark  grey,  and  red  about  the 
eyes ;  he  lodges  in  bushy  fir  trees,  and  is  very  shy ;  but  the 
hen,  which  is  much  less  in  size,  lays  her  eggs  in  the  heather, 
where  they  are  destroyed  by  foxes  and  wild  cats,  and  thereby 
the  Caperkylie  is  become  rare.  His  flesh  is  tender  and  de- 
licious, though  somewhat  of  a  resinous  fir  taste." 

1769.  Pennant,  in  his  '  Tour  in  Scotland,'  1769,  has  an 
interesting  passage  regarding  its  occurrence  prior  to  extinction 
in  Inverness,  which  has  been  often  quoted.  He  appears  only 
to  have  seen  one  specimen,  which  "  was  killed  in  the  woods 
of  Mr.  Chisholm,  to  the  north  \in  err.  for  west. — J.  A.  H.  B.] 
of  Inverness." 


22  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Mr.  Halting  ('  Hand  Book  of  British  Birds,'  p.  38)  says  : — 
"  One  of  the  last  native  birds  killed  was  shot  at  Chisholme 
Park,  Inverness,  and  is  believed  to  be  in  the  Museum  at 
Newcastle-upon-Tyne;"  but  it  would  have  been  better  had 
the  grounds  for  this  belief  been  stated.  Later,  Professor 
Newton  ('  Encyc.  Brit'  9th  ed.,  art.  '  Capercally')  says  : — "  No 
British  specimen  known  to  exist  in  any  museum" — i.e.,  no 
specimen  of  the  indigenous  stock  (p.  54).  In  reply  to  in- 
quiries for  further  particulars.  Professor  Newton  referred  me 
to  Fox's  '  Synopsis  of  the  Newcastle  Museum!  p.  78.  On  re- 
ferring to  the  passage,  I  find  that  Fox  was  "  unable  to  make 
out  if  the  present  specimen  [i.e.,  the  male  specimen  in  the 
museum. — J.  A.  H.  B.]  be  really  of  British  capture."  Pro- 
fessor Newton,  commenting  on  this  specimen,  writes  to  me: — 
"  All  that  seems  certain  is,  that  the  specimen  at  Newcastle 
was  once  Tunstall's,  and  that  Tunstall,  who  was  aware  of  the 
increasing  rarity  of  the  species  in  Scotland,  does  not  say  that 
he  had  a  Scottish  example;  while  he  mentions  one  in  his 
possession  from  Siberia,  and  also  that  he  had  had  it  from 
Denmark.  This  last,  by  the  way,  was  most  likely  of  Swedish 
or  Norwegian  origin,  for  the  bird  has  been  extinct  in  Den- 
mark so  long,  that  Steenstrup's  discovery  of  its  bones  in  a 
kitchen -midden  was  looked  upon  with  almost  as  much  in- 
terest as  his  finding  the  Garefowl's  remains  there"  {vide 
antea,  p.  13).  Professor  Newton  further  remarks  (m  lit): — 
*'  Fox,  I  believe,  is  mistaken  in  considering  the  female  Wood 
Grouse  in  the  British  Museum  to  be  a  British  specimen  from 
Bulloch's  collection  (I.  c).  It  is  entered  in  the  B.  M.  catalogue 
as  from  Montagu's  collection.  Now,  Montagu  never  mentions 
a  Scottish  specimen;  and  as  in  1789 — when  the  species  was 
almost  or  quite  extinct  in  Scotland — he  was  only  beginning 
a  provincial  collection,  it  is  most  unlikely  that  he  could  have 
supplied  himself  with  one.  In  Bullock's  sale  catalogue  there 
is  no  evidence  of  his   having   a  Scotch  specimen,  and  he 


HISTORY  OP  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND.  23 

would  know  how  much  the  value  of  his  pair  would  have  been 
enhanced  had  he  been  able  to  say  they — or  one  of  them — 
were  Scotch.  As  it  was,  they  sold  for  only  £7,  which,  as 
prices  went  at  that  sale,  was  very  moderate." 

1776.  Pennant,  in  his  'British  Zoology'^  (4th  ed.,  4to, 
London,  '1776,  vol.  i.  p.  223),  says: — "This  species  is  found 
in  no  other  part  of  Great  Britain  than  the  Highlands  of 
Scotland  north  of  Inverness,  and  is  very  rare  even  in  these 
parts.  It  is  there  known  (p.  224)  by  the  names  of  Caper- 
calze,  Auer-calze,  and  in  the  old  law-books  Caperkally."  And 
in  'The  Caledonian  Zoology!  in  Lightfoot's  'Flora  Scotica' 
(1777),  p.  22,  Pennant  further  states  that  it  is  "found  in  the 
forests  north  of  Loch  Ness,  but  rarely.  Once  frequent  in 
most  of  the  Highland  fir- woods." 

1783.  Latham  (;Synops:  11,^.1  ZO)  has  as  follows:— "The 
last  bird  of  this  kind  found  in  Scotland  was  in  the  Chicholm's 
{sic)  great  forest  of  Strathglass  ;  and  I  am  well  informed  that 
the  nest  was  placed  in  a  Scotch  pine."  In  the  text,  however, 
he  states  that  the  eggs  are  laid  on  the  ground.^ 

'The  Old  Stat.  Acct.  of  Scotland*  has  the  parallel  passage 
(vol.  XX.  1798,  p.  307):—"  The  Caper-coille,  or  WHd  Turkey, 
was  seen  in  Glenmoriston,  and  in  the  neighbouring  district  of 
Strathglass,  about  forty  years  ago;  and  it  is  not  known  that 
this  bird  has  appeared  since,  or  that  it  now  exists  in  Britain." 

^  There  appears  to  be  no  third  edition  of  Pennant's  'British  Zoology,'  for,  as 
I  am  informed,  the  first  came  out  in  1766  (folio);  the  second  was  begun  in 
1768  (8ro) ;  and  in  1776  there  were  two  issues,  one  in  4to  and  the  other  in 
Svo;  and  both  bear  the  words  ''Fourth  Edition"  on  their  title-pages. 

^  That  Latham's  statement  regarding  the  site  of  the  nest  may  have  been 
quite  correct,  is  rendered  possible  by  the  following,  which  I  extract  from  '  The 
Journal  of  Forestry'  for  October  1878,  p.  443  : — 

"Capercailzie's  Nest  in  a  Pine  Tree. — In  a  wood  adjoining  Falkland  House, 
on  the  Estate  of  Falkland,  and  at  the  northern  base  of  the  East  Lomond  Hill 
in  Fifeshire,  a  Capercailzie  has  actually  tenanted  the  old  nest  of  a  falcon  in  a 
pine  tree,  a  coosiderable  distance  from  the  ground.  The  Capercailzie  has  laid 
ten  egg's,  and  the  process  of  incubation  has  advanced  successfully  in  this  aevial 
retreat." — "  Ornis,''  in  ' Laiul  and  JFat^r.' 


24  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

1785.  In  Martyn's  'Dictionary  of  Natural  History,'  1785, 
it  is  said : — "  The  Cock  of  the  Mountains  is  a  native  of  various 
parts  of  Europe,  and  particularly  of  Ireland  and  Wales ;  but 
he  is  never  seen  in  England  except  through  mere  accident." 
At  another  place  he  says  : — "  Capercalze — a  provincial  name 
for  the  Cock  of  the  Wood."  He  describes  the  bird  fairly 
well,  "  of  the  size  of  a  peacock ;  appears  to  be  of  the  pheasant 
kind!" 

1802.  Montagu  (^Dictionary  of  British  Birds;  1802)  did 
not  appear  to  have  been  aware  of  its  extinction  in  Scotland 
at  the  time  he  wrote,  but  quotes  the  above  passage  of  Latham's 
regarding  the  nest  found  "placed  in  a  Scotch  pine."  In  his 
supplement,  however  (1813),  he  says: — "This  bird,  we  be- 
lieve, is  now  extinct  in  the  British  dominions." 

The  Capercaillie  continued  in  Strathspey  until  the  year 
1745.  The  last  seen  in  Scotland  was  in  the  woods  of  Strath- 
glass,  about  thirty-two  years  ago  (Rev.  J.  Grant  in  '  Old  Stat. 
Acct  of  Scotland ' — parish  of  Kirkmichael,  Banffshire,  vol,  xii. 
p.  451).  This  would  put  the  date  of  extinction  about  1762. 
The  above  account  is  very  generally  accepted  and  quoted  by 
later  writers  (see  Fleming,  'Brit.  Animals!  p.  46;  Gray,  'Birds 
of  West  of  Scotland!  p.  229,  and  others).  Sir  Wm.  Jardine 
('  Nat.  Library :  Orn.,'  vol.  iv.,  1834)  puts  the  probable  date 
later — between  1774  and  1784, — but  we  may  accept  the 
earlier  record  as  being  most  probably  correct.  Professor 
Newton  (*  Encyc.  Brit.,'  9th  edition,  article  '  Birds,'  p.  736,  part 
xii.)  places  the  extinction  in  Ireland  at  about  1760,  and  in 
Scotland  "  not  much  later,"  after  comparing  the  accounts  of 
Boece  (1526),  Bishop  Lesly  (1578),  Pennant  (1769),  and  all 
previous  authorities  which  he  had  access  to  {op.  cit.,  art. 
'  Capercally!  vol.  v.  p.  53). 

'  The  Old  Statistical  Account  of  Scotland ' — published  be- 
tween 1791  and  1799 — contains  other  notices  of  the  bird. 
Thus : — "  The  Caperkaily,  or  king  of  the  wood,  said  to  be  a 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND.  25 

species  of  wild  turkey,  was  formerly  a  native  of  this  parish 
(Kiltarlity),  and  bred  in  the  woods  of  Strathglass.  One  of 
these  birds  was  killed  about  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago  in  the 
churchyard  of  Kiltarlity "  (see  '  Stat.  Acct.  of  the  Parish '). 
The  Capercaillie  appears  also  to  have  inhabited  the  parish  of 
Dowally,  Perthshire  (op.  cit.)  See  also  the  letter  written  by 
James  VI.  in  1617  to  the  earl  of  Tullibardine,  before  men- 
tioned {v.  p.  17).  Nearly  all  of  the  above  records  have 
already  been  compared  and  referred  to  by  various  authors ; 
and  Mr.  Eobert  Gray  ('  Birds  of  West  of  Scotland ')  says  : — 
"  All  records  agreeing  in  the  fact  of  the  bird  being  extremely 
rare  between  the  years  1745  and  1760,  when  it  apparently 
became  extinct."  In  '  The  New  Statistical  Account '  of  Perth- 
shire (1841),  it  is  mentioned  as  pre-existing  in  the  parish  of 
Fortingal  (p.  543). 

Yarrell  {'Brit.  Birds,' 1st  edition)  says — "There  is  even 
reason  to  believe  that  it  (i.e.,  the  hybrid)  formerly  existed  in 
Scotland,  contemporary  with  the  Capercaillie.  Mr.  G.  T. 
Fox  in  his  '  Synopsis  of  the  Contents  of  the  Neivcastle  Museum^ 
published  in  1827,  quotes  the  Tunstall  MS.  at  p.  78,  in  the 
following  words  : — "  I  know  some  old  Scotch  gentlemen,  who 
say  they  remember,  when  young,  there  were  in  Scotland,  both 
the  Cock  of  the  Wood  and  also  the  hybrid ;  and  at  p.  245, 
Mr.  Fox  has  given  a  figure  of  this  last-named  bird,  from  a 
specimen  in  the  Newcastle  Museum  .  .  ."  But  it  is  not  said 
that  this  particular  specimen  was  from  Scotland.  (Compare 
remarks  under  Harttag — Newton,  antea,  p.  22.) 

Eyton  (^ Barer  British  Birds'  1836,  p.  30,  footnote)  men- 
tions T.  urugallus  and  T.  medius,  Meyer,  as  "formerly  in- 
habitants of  the  British  Isles,  but  are  now  extinct." 

The  hybrid  is  noticed  as  a  native  of  Scotland  by  Brisson, 
under  the  name  of ' Ze  coq  de  bruy&e  piqvAte'  and,  as  we  are 
informed  by  Fleming  i^Brit.  An.,'  p.  46).  "A  Scottish  gentle- 
man told  Dr.  Tunstall,  who  informed  Dr.  Latham,  that  it 
existed  in  our  woods." 


26  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Mr.  A.  G.  More  {'lUs;  1865,  p.  426),  while  briefly  allud- 
ing to  the  statements  of  Pennant  and  the  'Historia  Scotorum! 
adds  : — that  the  Eev.  George  Gordon  told  him  that  it  also  at 
one  time  inhabited  the  county  of  Elgin :  also  that  Mr.  Shearer 
"marked  it  as  extinct  in  Caithness,"  implying  thereby  its 
former  occurrence  in  that  county. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  final  extinction  of  the  species  may 
be  considered  to  have  taken  place  about  the  year  1760. 
There  are,  however,  several  other  records  of  a  considerably 
later  date,  which  are  at  least  worthy  of  notice.  The  latest  I  find 
on  record  are  two  given  in  Graves's  'British  Ornithology!  vol.  i. 
By  this  account  we  find  that  "  one  was  killed  by  a  gentleman, 
of  the  name  of  Henderson,  near  Fort-William,  about  six  years 
ago,  and  sent  to  Dundee  .  .  .  The  other  specimen  was  shot 
by  Captain  Stanton  near  Borrowstownness,  two  winters  ago : 
they  are  both  males.  Some  few  are  said  to  be  yet  remaining 
in  the  pine  forests  of  Scotland,  and  also  in  the  mountainous 
parts  of  Ireland."  Now,  the  date  of  Graves's  second  edition 
was  1821,  and  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  junior  informs  me  that  he 
has  a  note  to  the  effect  that  his  first  edition  was  published  in 
1817.  The  plate  of  the  Capercaillie  bears  date  of  1813  {'Scot. 
Nat!  vol.  i.  p.  82).  If  we  take  the  date  of  1813,  when  he 
might  have  been  expected  to  get  his  information,  the  Fort- 
William  bird  would  be  killed  about  1807,  and  the  Bo'ness 
bird  in  1811. 

With  regard  to  the  Fort- William  bird,  the  Eev.  A.  Stew- 
art ("  Nether  Lochaber,"  of  the  Inverness  Courier)  writes  to 
me  as  follows  : — 

"  The  Mr.  Henderson  who  killed  the  Capercaillie  in  the 
Camus-na-gaul  woods,  opposite  to  Fort- William,  in  or  about 
the  year  1807,  was  factor  for  MacLean  of  Ardgour,  and 
tenant  of  the  farm  of  Kiel,  near  Corran  Ferry.  At  Ardgour 
House,  about  twenty  years  ago,  the  gardener  was  an  old  man 
of  the  name  of  Harry  Kennedy.     This  Harry  Kennedy  was 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND.  27 

a  man  of  superior  intelligence,  a  naturalist  and  botanist  of 
much  and  very  exact  knowledge  in  all  that  concerned  these, 
his  favourite  studies.  It  was  this  old  man  Kennedy  who 
first  told  me  about  the  shooting  of  the  Capercaillie  by  Mr. 
Henderson  in  1807.  Kennedy  was  then  (1807)  old  enough 
to  remember  the  circumstances  perfectly.  I  am  pretty  sure 
that  he  said  he  saw  and  examined  the  bird  after  Henderson 
had  brought  it  to  Ardgour  House,  to  show  it  as  a  curiosity  to 
Colonel  MacLean,  the  Laird." 

We  cannot  look  upon  this  male  bird  as  a  remnant  of  the 
original  stock,  but  probably  as  a  wandered  bird  from  some 
later  attempt  at  restoration,  notwithstanding  the  mention  of 
the  Capercaillie  in  old  Gaelic  songs  of  the  beginning  of  the 
century,  which  Eev.  A.  Stewart  has  quoted  for  me  as  follows, 
though  there  does  appear  to  be  traditionary  evidence  of  its 
having  lingered  in  that  part  of  the  Highlands,  and,  as  Mr. 
Stewart  says,  that  it  was  at  least  not  an  unknown  bird  in 
1794.     I  give  Mr.  Stewart's  communication  in  full : — 

"  In  the  year  1794,  on  the  anniversary  of  the  birthday 
of  CampbeU,  Laird  of  Lochnell,  near  Oban,  he  gave  a  feast 
and  ball  to  his  tenantry  and  dependants.  Present  amongst 
others  on  the  occasion  was  James  Shaw,  better  known  to 
Gaelic  scholars  as  Bard  Loch-nan-Ealer  (the  Lochnell  bard). 
In  the  course  of  the  evening,  the  bard  having  been  called 
upon  for  a  toast,  repeated  instead  an  extempore  poem  in 
laudation  of  his  friend  and  patron  the  Laird  of  Lochnell,  with 
which  poem  the  Laird  was  so  much  pleased  that  he  made 
Shaw  a  present  of  Five  Guineas  on  the  spot.  The  concluding 
line  of  one  of  the  stanzas  of  this  poem  is  this  : — 

'  Bu  tu  Gapullcoille  na  guibhsaich.' 

and  the  literal  translation  of  the  stanza  is  as  foUows  : — 

*  Thou  art  the  eagle  amongst  birds, 
Thou  art  the  oak-tree  not  given  to  bending,. 


28  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Thou  art  the  salmon  of  silver-clear  streams, 
Thou  art  the  Capercaillie  of  the  fir-woods.' " 

It  only  lived,  I  believe,  in  the  memory  of  the  bard.  The  tra- 
dition of  its  former  existence  was  indirectly  perpetuated  in 
his  poem. 

There  is  good  reason  for  believing  that  the  Bo'ness  record 
is  so  far  genuine,  and  indeed  that  a  bird,  as  recorded  by 
Graves,  was  procured  there ;  but  from  the  situation  of  Bo'ness, 
upon  the  shore  of  the  Firth  of  Forth,  and  its  being  a  sea-port 
town,  carrying  on  a  trade  in  deals  and  timber  with  Norwegian 
ports,  the  probability  exists  that  the  male  bird  shot  there  may 
have  escaped  from,  or  been  let  loose  by,  sailors.  Accordingly, 
this  record,  as  well  as  the  Fort-William  one,  must  be  received 
with  caution  as  regards  their  real  value,  and  all  the  more  so 
that  such  a  long  interval  exists  between  these  and  all  pre- 
vious records.  Fleming,  moreover,  writing  in  1828  ('  British 
Animals'  p.  46),  after  mentioning  the  occurrence  of  the  last 
birds  in  Strathglass  (1860)  and  Strathspey  (1845),  says : — 
"  Eecent  attempts  have  been  made  to  recruit  our  forests  \i.e., 
with  Capercaillies. — J.  A.  H.  B.]  from  Norway,  where  the 
species  is  still  common;"  which  attempts  failing,  and  the 
cocks  wandering,  would  be  almost  sufficient  to  account  for 
these  stray  occurrences.  At  all  events,  in  the  absence  of 
distinct  data,  it  is  safer  to  accept  the  date  of  1760  as  that  of 
the  extinction  of  the  original  stock  in  Scotland. 

'  The  Traveller's  Guide,  or  a  Topographical  Description  of 
Scotland! — Edinburgh,  1798 — still  speaks  of  the  'Caper- 
ceiizie '  as  existing  at  that  date  in  Scotland  (p.  4),  but,  as 
already  seen,  this  is  extremely  unlikely. 

Sir  Eobert  Menzies  informs  me  he  "  has  always  under- 
stood "  that  the  last  killed  in  his  district — i.e.,  along  Loch 
Eannochside — was  shot  at  Camagouran,  by  Gregor  Macgregor, 
gamekeeper  to  the  Laird  of  Struan,  about  the  beginning  of 
this,  or  the  end  of  last,  century ;  but  in  absence  of  further 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  SCOTLAND.  29 

proof,  I  should  be  inclined  to  consider  this  an  escaped  bird 
from  some  one  of  the  localities  where  the  earlier  attempts  at 
reintroduction  were  made,  as  recorded- by  Fleming  i^  Brit. 
Animals'  1828).  Mr.  Charles  Buxton,  editor  of  the  'Memoirs 
of  Sir  Thomas  Fowell  Buxton,  Bart.,'  writing  in  1852  (fifth 
edition,  p.  332),  states  that  the  last  bird  "  was  shot  about  a 
hundred  years  ago  in  Perthshire,"  but  this  is  probably  an 
error  (though  possibly  enough  he  may  have  had  a  record  of  a 
bird  killed  in  Perthshire  at  that  time^),  and  the  record  really 
most  likely  applies  to  the  birds  last  seen  in  Strathspey  or 
Strathglass. 

There  is  no  other  evidence  of  a  satisfactory  nature  that  I 
can  discover  of  the  occurrence  of  the  Capercaillie  in  Suther- 
land beyond  Sir  Eobert  Gordon's  work  already  quoted ;  but 
Captain  Houstoun,  of  Kintradwell,  Brora,  writes  to  me 
that  one,  Donald  Sutherland  (or  Donald  Mhor),  used  to  men- 
tion the  Capercaillie  as  having  belonged  to  this  county ;  but 
Donald  Mhor,  who  died  about  twelve  years  ago,  at  the  age  of 
ninety — as  the  Eev.  Dr.  James  M.  Joass  informs  me — may 
have  spoken  from  traditionary  evidence,  or  of  his  father  having 
seen  it ;  or  he  may  even  have  been  quoting  from  Sir  Eobert 
Gordon's  work.^ 

1  Mr.  Buxton  may  also  have  had  in  view  the  statements  of  its  occurrence 
at  Dowally  in  the  *  Old  Stat.  AccL'  {loc.  cit),  or  that  of  its  former  occurrence  in 
Fortingall  Parish,  given  in  the  ^  New  Stat.  Acct.  of  Perthshire '  {loc.  cit.,  p.  543), 
where  it  is  stated  that  "we  had  at  one  time  the  Capercailzie  (caper-coille),  or 
great  cock  of  the  wood." 

2  The  oldest  pine  trees  in  Sutherland  are  at  Invercassley,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river  Cassley  from  Rosehall,  and  are  now  very  few  in  number,  as  I 
am  informed  by  my  friend  Mr.  Thomas  Mackenzie.  "The  Rosehall  wood 
comes  next,  and  dates  from  1806.  The  Balblair  wood,  situated  between  Dor- 
noch and  Golspie,  was  planted  about  1809 — the  same  year  that  the  small 
plantations  of  pine-woods  about  Kilcolmkill,  in  Strathbrora  and  Kintradwell, 
on  the  coast,  were  also  put  down  in.  These  are  the  only  standing  woods  in 
the  county  that  have  any  pretensions  to  antiquity,  the  fir-woods  on  the  Skibo 
estate  being  comparatively  recent. "  Mr.  Mackenzie  comes  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  is  not  a  standing  pine  tree  in  Sutherland  which  is  a  hundred  years 
old. 


30  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

In  Denovan's  sale  catalogue  (1818)  several  passages  occur, 
which  have  been  kindly  quoted  for  me  by  Professor  Newton 
and  Mr.  J.  H.  Gumey  jun.,  but  I  consider  that  these  should 
be  received  with  extra  caution,  or  indeed  be  rejected  altogether. 
As  Professor  Newton  suggests,  in  those  days  there  were  tricks 
of  the  trade  as  weU  as  now.  I  quote  these  passages  for  what 
they  are  worth : — 

"  Lot  651.  Hybrid  grouse.  The  rarest  of  the  grouse  tribe ; 
was  shot  in  Scotland ;  very  fine ;  Edinburgh  Museum.^ 

"  Lot  652.  Wood  grouse ;  Highlands  of  Scotland.  A  hand- 
some glazed  case,  including  both  sexes  of  these  truly  rare 
birds,  in  the  finest  possible  condition." 

To  cap  the  above  : — "  Lot  832.  Wolf,  a  noble  animal,  in 
large  glazed  case.  The  last  wolf  killed  in  Scotland  by  Sir  E. 
Cameron." 

1837.  In  a  '  Treatise  on  the  Game  Laws  of  Scotland,^  by 
Alexr.  Grigor,  Edin.  1837,  p.  9,  "  Capercayllies  "  are  mentioned 
amongst  pre-existing  game  birds.  He  did  not,  however, 
appear  to  be  aware  of  their  restoration. 

IRELAND. 

1357-87.  Giraldus  Cambrensis  in  his  '  Topograpliia  Hiher- 
niae  *  (lib.  ii.  p.  47),  says : — "  Pavones  silvestres  hie  abundant." 
It  remains  uncertain  if  he  alluded  to  the  "  Capercaillie  "  or  not. 
We  find  again,  however,  that  Ranulphus  Higden,  the  monk  of 
Chester,  who  died  about  1360  {v.  Harting  on  '  TheExtinct  British 

^  In  answer  to  inquiries  as  to  whether  any  specimen  at  present  exists  in 
the  Edinburgh  Museum  of  a  hybrid  grouse  or  Capercaillie  from  Scotland  that 
could  have  been  referred  to  in  the  above  lot,  Mr.  John  Gibson  assures  me  there 
is  not.  The  oldest  Capercaillie  in  the  collection  is  a  Norwegian  one,  pur- 
chased in  1814  by  Dr.  Jamieson  for  £4  :  4s.  Mr.  Gibson  considers  that  had 
there  been  a  British  example  in  the  collection  at  that  time,  r,uch  a  piece  of 
extravagance  would  not  have  been  perpetrated. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SPECIES  IN  IRELAND.  31 

Wolf;  '  Pop.  Sc.  Review;  1878,  p.  397),  in  his  '  Polychronicon; 
again  makes  mention  of  "  pekokes  "  (pavonibus),  which  were 
probably  Capercaillies  {v.  Translation,  by  John  Trevisa,  a.d. 
1357-1387),  quoted  fully  with  remarks  by  Harting  {pp.  cit) 

1676.  Willughby  (F.)  ('  Ornithologiae  Libri,  etc.;  recognovit 
Joannes  Baius.  London  :  1676 '),  mentions  it  as  known  in  the 
country  under  the  names  "  Cock  of  the  Mountain  or  of  the 
Wood,"  and  "  Urugallus fcemina;'  as  "The  Hen  of  the  Wood 
or  Mountain,"  pp.  123,  124,  and  figs,  on  plate  xxx. 

1678.  Eay,  John  (;  Ornithology,'  etc.,  p.  173),  says  : — "This 
bird  is  found  on  high  mountains  beyond  seas,  and,  as  we  are 
told,  in  Ireland  (where  they  call  it '  Cock  of  the  Wood '),  but 
nowhere  in  England." 

1684.  O'Flaherty  ("  West,  or  H.-Iar  Connaught")  mentions 
the  species  under  the  name  "  Cocks  of  the  Wood." 

1772.  J.  Eutty  (;  Nat.  Hist,  of  the  County  of  Dublin;  1772. 
vol.  i.  p.  302,  footnote)  says : — "  UrugaUus  major,  Gesneri : 
Tetras  urugallus,  Linnaei — '  The  Cock  of  the  Wood,'  British 
Zoology.  One  of  these  was  seen  in  the  county  of  Leitrim 
about  the  year  1710.  But  they  have  entirely  disappeared  of 
late,  by  reason  of  the  destruction  of  our  woods." 

1760.  Pennant  also  states  that  about  1760  a  few  were  to 
be  found  about  Thomastown  in  Tipperary,  and  Professor 
Newton  (pp.  cit)  informs  us  that  no  later  evidence  is  forth- 
coming, and  adds  : — "  Thus  it  would  seem  that  the  species  was 
exterminated  at  nearly  the  same  time  both  in  Ireland  and 
Scotland." 

Mr.  Scoular,  after  quoting  Giraldus  and  Act  11th  Anne, 
adds  that  it  "  remained  in  the  County  of  Cork  till  so  late  as 
1750,"  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  T.  Whitla.^  ('  J(yf^rn.  Geol.  Soc, 
Ihiblin;  I.  p.  227.) 

1  Other  references  to  the  species  in  Ireland  will  be  found  in  the  Irish 
Statutes,  11  Anne,  ch.  7,  which  prohibits  shooting  of  them  for  seven  years. — 
Smith,  ''History  of  Cork,'  1749.  The  "Wild  Turkey"  of  Act  George  III. 
27,  may  or  may  not  apply  to  Capercaillies,  but  the  Rev.  Dubourdieu's  ' '  "Wild 


32  THE  CAPERCAILLTE. 

An  additional  notice  will  be  found  in  an  able  article  '  On 
the  Total  and  Partial  Extermination  of  Animals'  by  James 
Fennel,  in  Eennie's  '  The  Field  Naturalist;  1834,  p.  194.  This 
author  says,  that  at  that  time  the  Wood  Grouse  or  Cock  of  the 
Wood  had  been  extinct  in  Ireland  for  nearly  seventy  years, 
and  in  Scotland  for  fifty  years. 

Mr.  A.  G.  More  of  Dublin,  who  has  been  making  inquiries 
in  my  behalf  for  some  time  past,  regarding  Capercaillies  in 
Ireland,  writes  to  me  that  he  has  not  been  able  to  obtain,  any 
additional  information  to  the  above  in  that  country. 

On  the  causes  of  the  extinction  of  the  species  in  Scotland 
I  can  say  little.  We  can  now,  I  believe,  only  speculate  upon 
what  changes  of  condition  and  what  surrounding  causes  could 
have  extirpated  them.  What  appears  to  me  to  be  the  most 
likely  factors  were  as  follows  : — The  probable  destruction  of 
great  forest  tracts  by  fire,^  the  cutting  down  of  the  same  by 
man  as  late  as  the  days  of  Cromwell,  and  the  wasting  away 
of  the  forests  from  natural  causes,  by  the  conversion  of  dry 
forests  into  bogs  and  morasses,  and,  resulting  from  this,  the 
decrease  of,  and  changes  in,  the  food  of  the  species.  Mr.  Col- 
quhoun  ('  Ferae  Naturae  of  the  British  Isles!  P-  41-42)  is  of 
this  opinion,  but  adds  as  a  factor,  the  increased  population. 
If  we  accept  the  above  as  the  most  probable  causes,  and  come 

Turkies"  were  undoubtedly  "  of  the  true  breed  "  of  Turkey  from  the  Ameri- 
can stock.  For  all  the  above  references,  see  Thompson's  ^  Birds  of  Ireland,^ 
vol.  ii.  p.  31,  from  which  I  have  quoted  freely. 

1  Evidence  of  the  destruction  of  great  tracts  of  forest  country  are  frequently 
to  be  met  with  in  early  history.  Thus,  to  get  rid  of  wolves,  a  large  pine 
forest  extending  "from  the  western  braes  of  Lochaber  to  the  Black  Water  and 
mosses  of  Rannoch  was  burned  to  expel  the  wolves,"  and  another  "In  the 
neighbourhood  of  Loch  Sloi,  a  tract  of  woods,  nearly  twenty  miles  in  extent, 
was  consumed  for  the  same  purpose  "  {v.  Nctes  to  James  Hay  Allen's  poem 
*  The  Last  Deer  of  Beann  Doran,'  London,  1822).  Sir  Walter  Scott  also,  in 
his  Essay  *  On  Planting  Waste  Lands'  {^Miscellaneous  Prose  Works,'  vol. 
xxi.  p.  9),  and  other  historians,  afford  evidence  of  a  natural  wasting  away  and 
decay  of  old  forests,  as  well  as  their  destruction  by  enemies,  "  thereby  to  re- 
move a  most  important  part  of  the  national  defence  "  {op.  cit.,  p.  10). 


CAUSES  OF  EXTINCTION.  33 

to  examine  into  the  details  of  the  testimony,  we  find  that  it 
was  not  until  the  beginning  of  the  18th  century  that  any  large 
extent  of  young  wood  was  planted/  nor  until  the  end  of  the 
18th  century  that  arboriculture  became  general  in  Scotland. 
The  latter  would  appear  to  have  been  too  late  to  afford  fresh 
sustenance  to  the  indigenous  Capercaillies,  but  it  yielded  an 
abundant  supply  by  the  date  of  the  Eestoration  of  the  species 
in  1837-38,  for  the  re-introduced  birds.  Eutty,  as  has  been 
seen  {antea,  p.  31),  accounts  for  their  extirpation  in  Ireland 
"  of  late,  by  reason  of  the  destruction  of  our  woods."  Smith  • 
(^History  of  Cork!  1749)  does  so  likewise. 

^  "It  would  seem  that  in  Scotland,  among  the  first  who  planted  trees  in 
large  masses  for  profitable  use  was  Thomas,  Earl  of  Haddington.  He  began 
to  plant  extensively  at  his  seat,  Tynninghame,  in  East  Lothian,  in  1705.  .  . 
.  .  .  A  large  amount  of  planting  had  been  undertaken  and  performed  be«- 
twixt  the  years  1777  and  1817.  ...  In  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century, 
and  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  one,  the  chief  planters  in  Scotland  were 
the  Duke  of  Athole,  Lord  Breadalbane,  and  Sir  J.  Grant  of  Strathspey.  .  . 
.  .  The  plantations  of  any  one  of  those  just  named  far  overbalanced  those 
of  any  other  private  proprietor  perhaps  in  Britain"  {v.  ^  The  Forester,''  by 
James  Brown,  4th  edition,  p.  3,  et  seq.  Edinburgh,  1871).  Thus,  coincident 
with  the  Restoration,  it  wiU  be  seen  that  there  was  abundant  supply  of  young 
thriving  wood  at  Taymouth.  In  '  The  Beauties  of  Scotland,'  Edinburgh,  1805 
(vol.  i.  p.  431),  1707,  is  given  as  the  year  in  which  planting  was  commenced 
at  Tynninghame.     A  pretty  full  account  of  the  operations  is  here  given. 


D 


PART  m. 

EESTOBATION. 


CHAPTEE  V. 

EESTOKATION. 

As  has  abeady  been  observed,  Fleming,  writing  in  1828 
(' ^*Y. -4 mmaZs'),  mentions  that  "recent  attempts  have  been 
made  to  recruit  our  forests  from  Norway,  where  the  species 
is  still  common."  -^  It  is  probable  that  Fleming  here  alluded 
to  the  attempt  made  at  Mar  Lodge;  as  the  previous  year 
(1827),  or  the  beginning  of  1828,  was  the  date  of  the  first 
importation  of  these  birds  to  Mar  Lodge  from  Sweden 
(vide  '  Edinr.  New  Phil.  Journal,'  July  1832).  The  account 
given  {op.  cit.)  is  very  fuU  and  interesting,  and  I  make  no 
apology,  therefore,  for  quoting  it,  as  it  will  also  serve  to  pre- 
serve the  continuity  of  our  account  of  the  species  in  Scotland. 
Mr.  Wilson  writes  as  follows : — 

"  I  was  wading  down  the  Dee  one  fine  afternoon,  a  little 
below  Mar  Lodge,  and  with  a  lighter  pannier  than  usual, 
when  I  heard  the  cry  of  a  bird  to  which  I  was  unaccustomed, 
and  my  bad  success  in  that  day's  angling  induced  me  the 
more  readily  to  diverge  from  the  '  pure  element  of  waters '  to 
ascertain  what  this  might  be.     I  made  my  way  through  the 

^  In  1829  some  of  the  members  of  the  Highland  Society  of  Scotland  pro- 
posed that  the  Society's  attention  should  be  directed  towards  the  Kestoration 
of  the  species,  and  mention  is  made  of  attempts  having  been  made,  "but," 
says  the  writer,  "  it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  alter  the  relations  which  naturally 
subsist  between  the  wild  animals  of  a  country  and  the  state  of  its  population 
and  surface." — *  Prize  Essays  and  Transactions  of  the  Highland  Soc.  of  Scot. ,' 
New  Series,  vol.  i.  p.  5  (1829). 


38  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

overhanging  wood  for  a  hundred  yards,  and  soon  after  reach- 
ing the  road,  which  runs  parallel  with  the  river  on  its  right 
side,  I  observed  a  wooden  palisade  or  enclosure  on  the  slop- 
ing bank  above  me.  On  reaching  it,  I  found  it  so  closely 
boarded  up  that  I  had  for  a  time  some  .difficulty  in  descrying 
any  inmates,  but  my  eye  soon  fell  upon  a  magnificent  bird, 
which  at  first,  from  its  bold  and  almost  fierce  expression  of 
countenance,  I  took  rather  for  some  great  bird  of  prey  than  for 
a  Capercailzie.  A  few  seconds,  however,  satisfied  me  that  it 
was  what  I  had  never  before  seen,  a  fine  living  example  of 
that  noble  bird.  I  now  sought  the  company  of  Mr.  Donald 
Mackenzie,  Lord  Fyfe's  gamekeeper,  the  occupant  of  the 
neighbouring  cottage.  He  unlocked  the  door  of  the  fortress, 
and  introduced  me  to  a  more  familiar  acquaintance  with  its 
feathered  inhabitants.  These  I  found  to  consist  of  two  fine 
Capercailzie  cocks  and  one  hen ;  and  the  latter,  I  was  de- 
lighted to  perceive,  accompanied  by  a  thriving  family  of 
young  birds,  active  and  beautiful. 

"  The  first  importation  of  these  Capercailzies  arrived  from 
Sweden  about  the  end  of  the  year  1827,  or  early  in  January 

1828.  It  consisted  of  a  cock  and  hen,  but  the  hen  unfortu- 
nately died  after  reaching  Montrose  Bay.  As  the  male  bird 
alone  arrived  at  Braemar,  the  experiment  was  judiciously 
tried  of  putting  a  common  barn-door  fowl  into  his  apartment 
during  the  spring  and  summer  of  1828.  The  result  was  that 
she  laid  several  eggs,  which  were  placed  under  other  hens, 
but  from  these  eggs  only  a  single  bird  was  hatched,  and  when 
it  was  first  observed,  it  was  found  lying  dead.  It  was,  how- 
ever, an  evident  mule  or  hybrid,  and  showed  such  unequivocal 
marks  of  the  Capercailzie  character  as  could  not  be  mistaken. 

"  The  second  importation  likewise  consisted  of  a  cock  and 
hen,  and  arrived  safely  in  this  country  in  January  or  February 

1829.  The  female  began  to  lay  in  the  ensuing  April,  and 
laying,  in  general,  an  egg  every  alternate  day,  she  eventually 


RESTORATION.  39 

deposited  about  a  couple  of  dozen.  She  showed,  however, 
so  strong  a  disposition  to  break  and  eat  them,  that  she  re- 
quired to  be  narrowly  watched  at  the  time  of  laying,  for  the 
purpose  of  having  them  removed,  for  otherwise  she  would 
have  destroyed  the  whole.  In  fact,  she  did  succeed  in  break- 
ing most  of  them,  but  eight  were  obtained  uninjured.  These 
were  set  under  a  common  hen,  but  only  one  bird  was  hatched, 
and  it  died  soon  after.  In  the  spring  of  1830  the  hen  Caper- 
cailzie laid  eight  eggs.  Of  these  she  broke  only  one,  and 
settling  in  a  motherly  manner  on  the  other  seven,  she  sat 
steadily  for  five  weeks.  On  examining  the  eggs,  however, 
they  were  all  foimd  to  be  addle. 

"  In  the  early  part  of  1831  three  apartments  were  ingeni- 
ously formed  adjoining  one  another.  The  hen  was  placed 
in  the  central  chamber,  between  which  and  the  enclosure  on 
either  side,  each  of  which  contained  a  male,  there  was  an  easy 
communication,  so  contrived,  however,  that  the  female  could 
have  access  to  both  the  males,  whilst  they,  from  their  greater 
size,  could  neither  approach  each  other  nor  disturb  the  female 
as  long  as  she  chose  to  remain  in  her  own  apartment.  In 
May  and  June  of  that  year  she  laid  twelve  eggs,  seven  of 
which  were  set  under  a  common  hen.  Of  these  four  were 
hatched  in  an  apparently  healthy  state,  one  was  addle,  and 
the  other  two  contained  dead  birds.  Of  those  left  with  the 
Capercailzie  hen  she  broke  one,  and  sat  upon  the  other  four, 
of  which  two  were  hatched,  and  the  other  two  were  found  to 
contain  dead  birds.  Of  the  two  hatched  one  soon  died. 
Both  the  barn-door  hen  and  the  female  Capercailzie  sat 
twenty-nine  days  from  the  time  the  laying  was  completed 
till  the  young  were  hatched;  and  Mr.  Cumming  calls  my 
attention  to  the  fact  that  there  were  birds  in  all  the  eggs  of 
this  year's  laying  except  one. 

"  My  visit  to  Braemar  took  place  about  the  first  week  of 
last  August.     I  think  all  the  five  young  were  then  alive,  and 


40  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

although  only  a  few  weeks  old,  they  were  by  that  time  larger 
than  the  largest  moor-game.  I  had  no  opportunity  of  hand- 
ling them,  or  of  examining  them  very  minutely,  but  the 
general  view  which  I  had  of  them  at  the  distance  of  a  few 
feet  did  not  enable  me  to  distinguish  the  difference  between 
the  young  males  and  females.  They  seemed  precisely  the 
same  at  that  time,  both  in  size  and  plumage,  although  I  doubt 
not  the  male  markings  must  have  soon  shown  themselves  on 
the  young  cocks.  The  single  surviving  bird  of  those  hatched 
by  the  mother  died  of  an  accident,  after  living  in  a  very 
healthy  state  for  several  weeks.  Two  of  those  hatched  by 
the  common  hen  died  of  some  disease,  the  nature  of  which  is 
not  known,  after  lingering  for  a  considerable  time.  It  follows 
that  there  are  only  two  young  birds  remaining.  These  are 
both  females,  and  when  I  last  heard  of  them,  some  months 
ago,  were  in  a  thriving  condition. 

"  The  whole  progeny  were  fed  at  first,  and  for  some  time, 
with  young  ants — that  is,  with  those  whitish  grain-shaped 
bodies,  which  are  the  larvae  and  chrysalids  in  their  cocoons,  of 
these  industrious  creatures,  though  commonly  called  ants' 
eggs.  At  that  period  they  were  also  occasionally  supplied 
with  some  tender  grass,  cut  very  short.  As  soon  as  they  had 
acquired  some  strength  they  began  to  eat  oats  and  pot  barley, 
together  with  grass  and  the  various  kinds  of  moss.  They 
are  now  fed  like  the  three  old  birds,  chiefly  on  grain  and 
heather  tops,  with  the  young  shoots  and  other  tender  portions 
of  the  Scotch  fir.  I  am  informed  that  the  distinction  between 
the  sexes  had  become  very  obvious  before  the  death  of  the 
young  males.  The  plumage  of  the  latter  was  much  darker, 
their  general  dimensions  were  greater,  their  bills  larger  and 
more  hooked.  These  characters  became  very  apparent  during 
November  and  December. 

"  The  old  males  have  never  yet  had  access  to  the  young 
birds,  so  that  it  has  not  been  ascertained  whether  they  enter- 


RESTORATION.  41 

tain  any  natural  regard  for  their  offspring  or  would  manifest 
any  enmity  towards  them.  From  the  continued  wildness  of 
the  old  birds,  especially  the  males,  it  was  found  difficult  to 
weigh  them  without  incurring  the  risk  of  injuring  their 
plumage.  However,  the  male  which  arrived  in  1829,  and 
which  then  appeared  to  be  a  bird  of  the  previous  year,  was 
lately  weighed,  and  was  found  to  be  eleven  pounds  nine  ounces 
avoirdupois.  Judging  from  appearances,  it  is  believed  that 
the  weight  of  the  old  hen  would  not  much  exceed  one-half. 
There  is,  indeed,  a  striking  disparity  in  the  dimensions  of  the 
sexes  in  this  species. 

"  The  intention  is,  as  soon  as  some  healthy  broods  have 
been  reared  in  confinement,  to  liberate  a  few  in  the  old  pine 
woods  of  Braemar,  and  thus  eventually  to  stock  with  the 
finest  of  feathered  game  the  noblest  of  Scottish  forests." 

Eegarding  the  above-mentioned  attempt  to  restore  the 
species,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  make  a  few  remarks. 
Since  the  above  was  first  penned  by  Mr.  Wilson,  we  know 
that  the  attempt  ended  in  failure  and  complete  annihilation 
of  the  birds,  old  and  young.  But  subsequent  attempts 
have — as  will  be  seen  farther  on — resulted  in  their  complete 
Eestoration,  and  the  experience  thus  obtained  goes  far  to 
prove  that  the  causes  of  failure  in  the  Mar  Lodge  attempt 
were  probably  as  follows  : —    . 

1st.  The  imported  birds  were  too  few  in  number,  and  the 
proportion  of  males  and  females  not  balanced  as  in  nature, 
where  the  females  of  nearly  all  polygamous  species  exceed 
the  males  in  population,  and  where,  accordingly,  one  male  is 
sufficient  to  serve  a  number  of  females. 

2d.  The  confinement  was  probably  against  the  complete 
health  of  the  young  birds,  and,  indeed,  also  of  the  old  birds. 
Experience  tells  us  that  not  one  of  the  attempts  made  at 
Eestoration,  in  which  the  birds  have  been  too  long  confined 
has  succeeded. 


42  THE  CAPERCAILLTE. 

3d.  The  food  would  appear  to  have  been  not  altogether 
suitable,  if  we  accept  Mr.  Lloyd's  directions  for  feeding  Caper- 
caillies  in  confinement  ('  Game  Birds  and  Wild  Fowl  of 
Sweden ') ;  and  the  general  treatment  in  minor  matters  was 
probably  deficient,  from  want  of  experience.  The  disease 
mentioned  above  by  Mr.  Wilson,  of  which  one  of  the  young 
birds  died,  and  the  deaths  of  the  other  young  birds,  were  prob- 
ably caused  by  some  slight  hitch  in  the  general  management 
of  food  and  shelter.  Even  the  wild  birds,  when  young,  are 
stated  to  be  subject  to  'gapes,'  by  more  than  one  of  my 
correspondents.  Further,  birds  reared  under  domestic  hens 
have  never  succeeded  well;  and  we  now  know  that  the 
best  way  to  treat  the  eggs  is  to  place  them  out  in  the  woods 
under  wild  grey  hens,  and  to  turn  out  the  birds  themselves  to 
breed  in  a  state  of  nature,  after  the  woods  have  become  par- 
tially stocked  by  the  eggs  hatched  out  under  grey  hens.-^ 

It  was  a  considerable  time  after  the  above  attempt  that 
any  one  earnestly  took  up  the  idea  of  re-introducing  the  species. 
"  Years  ago,"  writes  Mr.  Lloyd  {op.  city  p.  34),  "  I  volunteered 
my  services  to  more  than  one  influential  proprietor  in  Scot- 
land. .  .  .  For  a  long  time  no  one  would  move  in  the  matter, 
but  at  length,  in  the  autumn  of  1836,  the  late  Sir  Thomas 
Fowell  Buxton,  then  recently  returned  from  Taymouth  Castle 
.  .  .  took  up  the  affair  in  good  earnest."  ..."  Influenced  by 
the  desire,  in  which  I  am  sure  you  will  concur," — so  writes  Sir 
Thomas  to  Mr.  Lloyd, — "  to  introduce  these  noble  birds  into 
Scotland,  coupled  with  that  of  making  Lord  Breadalbane  some 
return  for  his  recent  kindness  to  me,^  I  request  you  to  procure 
for  his  lordship,  at  whatever  cost,  the  requisite  number."  Sir 
Thomas  also  placed  at  Mr.  Lloyd's  disposal  his  head  game- 

^  A  further  short  account  of  the  Capercaillies  at  Mar  Lodge  is  given  by 
Dick- Lauder  in  his  *  Account  of  the  Great  Floods  of  August  1829,'  p.  358. 

2  Vide  '  Memoirs  of  Sir  Thomas  Fowell  Buxton,  Bart^'  fifth  edition, 
edited  by  his  son  Charles  Buxton,  Esq.,  B.A.  London,  1852.  Chap,  xxiv 
p.  332. 


RESTORATION.  43 

keeper,  "Larry"  Banvill;  "which,"  as  Mr.  Lloyd  remarks, 
"  was  no  slight  sacrifice  for  a  Norfolk  game-preserver." 

CapercaiUies  were  reintroduced  at  Taymouth  in  the 
autumn  of  1837  and  spring  of  1838.  In  aU,  according  to 
some  accounts,  forty-eight  birds  were  obtaiued  in  Sweden, 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Sir  Thomas  Fowell  Buxton,  of 
Northrepps  HaU  and  Cromer  Hall,  in  Norfolk,  and  the 
energy  of  Mr.  Lloyd,  the  weU-known  Swedish  sportsman  and 
naturalist,  materially  assisted  by  Mr.  Lawrance  Banvill,  Sir 
Thomas  FoweU  Buxton's  head  gamekeeper  in  Norfolk,  who 
went  twice  over  to  Sweden  and  brought  over  the  birds  to 
Taymouth,  and  by  Mr.  James  Guthrie,  head  gamekeeper  at 
Taymouth,  who  carefully  tended  the  old,  and  successfully 
reared  the  young,  birds. 

According  to  a  letter  from  Mr.  Edward  Buxton,  published 
in  Blaine's  ' Encyc.  of  Bural  Sports'  (p.  814),  a  previous 
attempt  to  rear  the  birds  had  been  made  in  Norfolk  by  Sir 
Thomas.  A  hen  bred  there,  but  aU  the  young  ones  died. 
Several  hens  and  a  cock  had  been  kept  at  Cromer  Hall,  where 
Sir  Fowell  was  then  living.  This  must  have  been  about  the 
year  1823,  a  few  years  previous  to  the  publication  of  Mr. 
Lloyd's  first  large  work — '  The  Field  Sports  of  the  North  of 
Europe '  {q.  v.,  vol.  i.  p.  264).-^  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  informs  me 
that  there  is  a  hen  bird  stuffed  in  the  Norfolk  Museum,  which 
belonged  to  Sir  FoweU  Buxton,  and  which  was  doubtless  one 
of  these  birds,  or  one  of  those  brought  over  later  by  Larry. 

Mr.  Henry  Stevenson  of  Norwich  gives  me  a  further  note 
from  his  journals,  taken  down  by  him  from  Larry's  own  oral 
communication,  in  the  year  1857,  to  the  effect  that  "  a  pair 
were  turned  off  at  Sir  Fowell's  place  at  Beeston,  but  soon 
died — he  believes  choked  in  some  way.  .  .  .  Beeston,  Cromer, 
and  Northrepps,  are  all  adjoiniug  parishes,  or  within  a  mile 
or  two  of  each  other,"  so  that  it  is  not  perhaps  of  great  im- 

1  Vide  also  Loudon's  'Mag.  of  Hat.  Hist.,'  vol.  iii.  p.  157. 


44  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

portance  to  ascertain  the  fact  exactly  at  which  of  the  three 
places  they  were  turned  off.  We  may,  however,  accept 
"  turned  off  at  Beeston  "  as  most  likely  correct. 

Mr.  Gurney  also  tells  me  that  a  journal  left  by  Mr. 
Lawrance  Banvill  was  destroyed  by  his  son.  It  doubtless 
contained  full  notes  upon  Capercaillies,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  it  was  not  preserved. 

In  Blaine's  '  Encyc.  Rural  Sports '  (1838),  however,  will  be 
found  a  very  fuU  account  of  "  Larry's  "  journey,  in  his  own 
words,  which  is  weU  worth  perusal,  but  is  too  long  for 
quotation  in  this  place.  A  short  abstract  will,  however,  pre- 
serve the  continuity  of  our  account. 

By  "  Larry's "  own  journal  it  would  appear  that  he  left 
home  on  the  1st  April  1837,  and  made  the  Swedish  coast  on 
the  l7th  April,  and  on  the  20th  reached  Mr.  Lloyd's  house 
at  Yenersborg.  There  he  remained,  collecting  and  attending 
to  the  birds,  which  were  kept  in  large  coops,  five  feet  by  three 
and  a  half  feet,  or  thereby.  Besides  Capercaillies  a  few 
blackcock  were  procured,  as  well  as  a  few  eggs  of  both  species. 
These  birds  were  often  brought  in  from  a  considerable  distance, 
the  natives  having  been  instructed  by  Mr.  Lloyd  how  to 
capture  the  birds  without  hurting  them.  Larry  then  details  the 
troubles  he  encountered  in  finally  preparing  the  birds  and 
their  coops  for  the  voyage  down  the  river  to  Gottenburg; 
but  finally,  on  the  8th  June,  the  birds  were  safely  got  on 
board,  and  Larry  took — ^what  he  then  believed,  was — the  last 
look  of  the  Swedish  coast  on  Saturday  the  10th  June. 

On  the  19th  June  Larry  and  the  birds  (in  aU  thirty-six 
birds,  being  7  black  game  and  29  Capercaillies,  of  which  latter 
there  were  13  cocks  and  16  hens)  landed  at  HuU.  On  the 
21st  he  sailed  for  Dundee,  where  he  arrived  with  all  the  birds 
weU  on  the  23d.  He  left  Dundee  on  the  24th,  and  appears 
to  have  reached  Taymouth  the  same  evening — a  long  journey, 
part  of  which  was  effected  with  a  horse  and  cart.     The  birds 


RESTORATION.  45 

were  all  well  on  the  25tli,  having  reached  Taymouth  Castle 
in  safety.  Larry  remained  a  short  time  at  Taymouth,  and 
got  home  again  to  Norfolk  by  the  20th  July.  Mr.  E.  Buxton, 
in  his  further  account  of  the  birds,  sent  to  the  proprietors  of 
*  The  Encyclopcedia  of  Rural  Sjports,'  (continued,  p.  816),  gives 
an  account  of  the  successful  hatching  out  of  two  broods  in  the 
woods,  and  the  arrival  of  16  more  hens  at  Taymouth  in  the 
summer  of  1838,  Larry  had  again  been  over  in  Sweden 
assisting,  as  before,  in  their  safe  transmittal.  In  September 
1839  Mr.  James  Guthrie,  the  head  gamekeeper  at  Taymouth, 
wrote : — "  With  regard  to  the  Capercaillies,  I  think  we  shall 
have  between  60  and  70  young."  Mr.  E.  Buxton  also 
mentions  the  fact  that  already  two  strayed  birds  had  been 
shot  in  the  north  of  Scotland,  and  one  hen  had  been  offered 
for  sale  in  a  poulterer's  shop  in  Princes  Street,  Edinburgh. 
I  would  recommend,  however,  to  those  interested  in  further 
particulars,  to  read  the  excellent  account  of  the  restoration  in 
Blaine's  work,  of  which  the  above  is  an  extract. 

Mr.  Lloyd  informs  us  that  there  were  20  birds  in  the 
second  lot  sent  off  from  Sweden.  The  balance,  I  believe, 
were  sent  to  Cromer  Hall,  but  I  have  been  unable  exactly  to 
trace  what  became  of  them,  unless,  as  Mr.  D.  Brown,  lately 
naturalist  in  Perth,  informs  me,  they  were  taken  not  to 
Cromer,  but  to  Northrepps,  where  young  were  reared ;  but  all 
died,  owing,  Mr.  Brown  writes,  to  the  want  of  proper  food. 

It  would  appear  at  all  events,  that,  in  all,  13  cocks  and  29 
hens  arrived  in  safety  at  Taymouth  in  1837  and  1838.  Some 
accounts  give  48  birds  ;  and  Knox,  in  his  '  Game  Birds  and 
Wild  Fowl;  p.  221,  says,  "  54  adult  CapercaiUies  in  1838-39  " 
{fide  'Zooi:  ix.  p.  3018-9). 

In  September  1838  Sir  Fowell  saw  eighteen  of  the  birds 
at  Tajonouth  in  good  health,  and  ten  more  had  been  turned 
down  on  the  estate.  The  birds  were  carried  out  at  night  in 
large  baskets,  and  placed  about  amongst  the  woods,  principally 


46  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

around  the  castle ;  the  lids  were  lifted,  and  the  birds  found 
their  way  out  of  their  own  accord.  The  actual  rearing  by- 
hand  was  not  so  successful,  but  in  1841  favourable  reports 
were  received  of  the  successful  hatching  of  eggs  under  grey 
hens,  principally  in  the  woods  of  Drummond  Hill.  They 
soon  became  firmly  established,  and  about  the  year  1862  or 
1863  the  Marquis  of  Breadalbane  estimated  their  numbers 
on  the  estates  at  over  1000  birds,  while  the  head  gamekeeper, 
James  Guthrie,  who  tended  the  birds  with  the  greatest 
possible  care,  estimated  them  to  reach  over  2000.  It  is 
greatly  owing  to  the  intelligent  care  bestowed  upon  them  by 
Mr.  Lawrance  Banvill  and  Mr.  James  Guthrie  that  this 
perfect  success  had  been  attained.  To  Sir  Thomas  Fowell 
Buxton  and  to  Mr.  Lloyd  thanks  are  in  the  first  instance  due, 
but  Messrs.  Banvill  and  Guthrie,  the  Irish  and  Scotch 
keepers,  must  not  be  forgotten  for  the  active  practical  part 
they  took  in  the  matter.^ 

About  the  same  time  that  they  were  introduced  at  Tay- 
mouth  five  hens  and  a  cock  were  brought  to  Dunkeld  House 
for  the  then  Duchess  Dowager  of  Athole,  but  shortly  after- 
wards the  cock  bird  killed  himself,  and  the  hens  were  sent 
up  to  Taymouth.^  In  1843  a  successful  introduction  was 
effected  in  Arran  from  birds  sent  from  Taymouth;  supplemented 

1  Mr.  Guthrie's  "only  delight  or  pleasure  was  to  look  after  the  'beasties 
and  birdies,  puir  things,'  for  which  he  had  a  great  affection;  but  woe  betide 
the  vermin.  The  affection  and  humanity  was  of  a  different  kind  for  the  '  dirty 
vermin.'  I  have  seen  him  hang  a  wounded  crow  to  die  over  a  caged  hen  with 
a  brood  of  young  pheasants,  caressing  the  one,  while  to  the  other  he  was 
absolutely  cruel ;  justifying  the  latter  acts  by  the  assertion  that  the  one  was 
'vermin,'  the  others  'puir  bonnie  creaturs.'  He  came  from  Arbroath,  when 
quite  young,  to  Taymouth,  and  I  believe  the  shooting  interest  in  Perthshire 
owes  his  memory  and  zeal  a  debt,  for  he  '  haated '  hawks,  foxes,  eagles,  most 
sincerely,  and  spent  three  nights  a  week  for  years  on  the  hUl."  I  am 
indebted  for  the  above  'memory'  of  an  old  friend,  to  one  who  knew  him 
intimately,  and  who  accompanied  him  in  many  of  his  long  tramps  o'er  heath 
and  hill  and  tangled  knowe. 

2  Another  account  says,  "three  birds  in  1838."  Yarrell — *  Brit.  Birds.' 
First  Edition. 


RESTORATION.  47 

by  a  fresh  relay  of  birds  direct  from  Sweden  (see  details 
under  Arran)  in  1846.  Concerning  an  alleged  independent 
restoration  of  the  species  at  Murthly  by  Sir  William  Stewart, 
Bart.,  about  1844,  I  have  good  reason  for  stating  that  there  is 
no  actual  foundation  for  the  report,  the  birds  arriving  there 
as  early  as  1842,  and  coming  of  their  own  accord  from  the 
Athole  woods.  Mr.  Malcolm  Dunn,  who  has  given  me  so 
much  assistance  under  another  heading  {infra,  p.  131),  informs 
me  that  he  is  not  responsible  for  the  statement  to  the  effect 
that  they  were  there  re-introduced,  as  stated  in  the  '  Zoolo- 
gist; 1875,  p.  4338. 

Mr.  John  Colquhoun  informs  me  that  he  inspected  the 
"  colony  of  nests  "  at  Taymouth.  "  The  nests  were  close  to- 
gether, like  rooks',  and  were  thus. more  easily  protected."  In 
the  fine  autumn  mornings  he  has  often  watched  them  feeding 
or  disporting  in  full  view  of  the  windows  of  the  house ;  and  in 
spring,  and  again  in  autunrn,  this  can  be  seen  still  in  the 
quiet  secluded  parts  of  the  forest,  or  even  in  more  public 
parts  of  the  estates. 

For  further  details  of  the  rearing  of  the  birds  see  Yarrell's 
'  History  of  Brit.  Birds  '—first  edition — and  Knox's  '  Game 
Birds  and  Wild  Fowl;  p.  221. 

In  1845  David  Carnegie,  Esq.,  of  Stronvar,  brought  over 
two  cocks  and  four  hens,  and  kept  them  in  confinement  for 
some  years,  hoping  to  get  eggs  to  place  in  grey  hens'  nests. 
The  hens  died  in  two  or  three  years,  and  the  cocks  were  let 
loose.  The  latter  were  found  not  long  after,  both  dead.  It 
was  believed  they  had  fought  and  killed  each  other.  They 
had  been  enemies  when  in  confinement,  only  separated  by 
an  open  wooden  partition  (D.  Carnegie,  Esq.  in  lit.) 

At  Taymouth,  and  aU  along  the  Tay  valley,  as  far  as  Dun- 
keld,  Capercaillies,  after  becoming  fairly  established,  increased 
in  numbers  rapidly  for  a  number  of  years.  The  whole  district 
was  in  everyway  admirably  adapted  to  their  habits,  the  Duke  of 


48  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Athole  and  Lord  Breadalbane  having,  as  we  have  seen  {antea, 
p.  33),  planted  considerable  areas  of  their  estates,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century  and  in  the  beginning  of  the  present 
one,  with  larch,  Scots  fir,  and  spruce,  thus  forming  for  the 
restored  birds,  the  perfection  of  cover  and  food.^ 

Of  late  much  of  this  wood  has  been  cut  down,  and  sheep- 
grazing  has  taken  the  place  of  forest  growth.  Consequently 
the  birds  find  their  domain  restricted,  and  are  more  subject 
to  disturbance.  Mr.  Anderson  says  : — "  Within  the  last  six  or 
seven  years  they  have  been  decidedly  on  the  decrease,  al- 
though still  very  abundant."  All  my  correspondents  agree  in 
this,  and  one  goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  he  "  believes  there  are 
not  half  the  birds  upon  the  Athole  estates  that  there  were 
twenty  years  ago."  I  have  statistics  showing  a  similar  de- 
crease in  other  localities.  At  present  the  birds  are  not  much 
shot  nor  disturbed  on  the  Breadalbane  and  Athole  estates. 

Very  shortly  after  their  introduction  at  Taymouth  they 
appeared  at  Craig-y-barns,  near  Dunkeld — viz.  in  1840 — and 
a  female  was  shot  in  1843.  They  were  then  preserved  up  to 
1848,  but  had  become  firmly  established  there  long  prior  to 
that  date. 

In  1842  Prince  Albert  shot  one  at  Taymouth  as  part  of 
the  game  obtained  when  there  with  Her  Majesty.^  Mr. 
Charles  Buxton,  in  his  '  Memoirs  of  Sir  Thomas  Fowell  Buxton , 
Bart'  (p.  333,  footnote),  claims  to  have  shot,  along  with  his 
brother,  ''  the  first  of  these  birds  that  had  been  killed  in  Scot- 
land for  a  hundred  years."  As  has  been  related  by  Blaine, 
however,  two  were  said  to  have  been  shot  in  the  north  of 

^  To  Mr.  Roderick  Anderson  of  Dunkeld,  amongst  many  others,  I  am  in- 
debted for  a  very  succinct  and  admirable  account  of  the  reintroduction  of  the 
species  ;  to  Mr.  Dayton  of  Loch  Earn  Head  Hotel  also,  for  other  notes  and 
hints  connected  with  the  subject,  and  others  having  had  personal  acquaintance 
with  Mr.  James  Guthrie  and  Mr.  Banvill,  and  who  well  remember  the  first 
appearance  of  the  birds  at  Taymouth. 

2  Vide  '  Her  Majesty's  Journal.' 


RESTORATION.  49 

Scotland  in  1839  ;  wandered  birds  from  Taymouth,  probably, 
and  one  was  offered  for  sale  in  Edinburgh. 

In  1843,  as  I  am  informed  by  Sir  Eobert  Menzies,  "  a 
large  number  of  the  birds,"  to  use  his  own  words,  "  came  across 
the  river  to  the  Eock  of  Dull,  on  my  property,  where  they 
bred  very  well,  and  were  taken  good  care  of  for  a  number  of 
years,  as  I  did  not  allow  them  to  be  shot.  The  Eock  of  Dull 
is  a  large  wood  of  old  Scotch  fir.  It  is  well  exposed,  facing 
the  south,  and  with  plenty  of  water.  The  original  plantation 
is  about  300  acres,  and  there  is  as  much  again  more  recently 
planted  close  to  it.  With  the  exception  of  Drummond  HiU, 
the  woods  at  Taymouth  face  the  north,  and  I  presume  that 
this  was  the  reason  why  the  birds,  when  turned  out,  came  to 
my  side  of  the  valley,  which  was  right  opposite.  At  first  they 
increased  rapidly,  having  bred  well  the  very  first  season  ;  but 
I  never  got  them  to  increase  beyond  what  they  were  as  to 
numbers  in  the  second  or  third  year.  They  are  very  wander- 
ing birds,  and  very  soon  I  heard  of  their  being  at  Tullimet, 
Dunkeld,  and  Blair  Athole;  and  thence  they  shortly  after 
moved  on  to  the  plantations  in  Strathord,  Strathearn,  and  the 
upper  woods  in  the  Carse  of  Gowrie.  It  is  noteworthy  that 
this  migration  was  always  to  the  lower  plantations,  and  I 
have  made  several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  turn  them  out 
again  in  Eannoch,  which  is  higher  wood.  There,  there  is  a 
quantity  of  the  indigenous  Scotch  fir,  the  remains  of  the  for- 
mer Caledonian  forest;  and  where  I  expected  they  would  have 
done  well  and  been  well  satisfied  with  their  quarters,  they 
remained  a  year  or  two  and  then  disappeared,  and,  I  think, 
migrated  southward,  preferring  other  places  to  Eannoch.  I 
have  also  sent  eggs  on  several  occasions  across  the  Gram- 
pians to  Inverness-shire  and  to  Beaufort  Castle,  but  I  think 
they  have  not  succeeded  as  yet  in  introducing  them  there.  I 
preserve  the  Capercaillie,  as  I  do  not  think  they  do  harm 
either  to  the  grouse  or  black  game ;  in  fact,  they  frequent 

E 


50  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

large  well-grown  Scotch  fir  plantations,  where  these  are  not 
usually  found." 

In  Arran  they  were  separately  introduced — partly  from 
birds  direct  from  Sweden,  and  partly  by  birds  from  Taymouth. 
Notwithstanding  the  mixture  of  fresh  blood  thus  acquired, 
and  the  corresponding  rapid  increase  of  the  species  there, 
Arran,  from  its  isolated  position,  cannot  be  held  as  an  appre- 
ciable centre  for  any  large  extent  of  country.  (For  full  parti- 
culars of  this  introduction,  vide  under  "Arran,"  p.  103.) 

I  am  obliged  to  Mr.  Muirhead,  of  Edinburgh,  for  the 
following  statistics,  which  may  perhaps  be  considered  to  repre- 
sent the  steady  increase  of  the  species  since  that  time.  He 
informs  me  that  he  received  for  sale  in  1855  not  more  than 
10  brace  of  Scottish  birds ;  in  1865,  from  15  to  20  brace ;  in 
1875,  from  20  to  25  brace  during  the  season ;  in  1876,  fully 
30  brace ;  but  in  1877-78  scarcely  any.  "  This  wet  season," 
he  adds,  "partridges,  grouse,  and  pheasants  have  turned  out 
a  very  small  crop,  in  fact,  the  shortest  supply  on  record." 
Many  Scottish  sportsmen  can  bear  out  this  latter  remark  of 
Mr.  Muirhead's.  In  1852  Mr.  John  Plant  received  a  hybrid 
from  Mr.  Muirhead,  shot  .near  Breadalbane  ('  ZooL!  1852, 
p.  8710). 

In  England  also  attempts  have  been  made  to  introduce 
the  species.  Lord  Eavensworth  gives  an  account  of  his  endea- 
vours to  establish  them  at  his  seat  at  Eslington  in  Northum- 
berland, between  1872  and  1877,  in  the  '  Nat.  Hist.  Trans,  of 
Northumherland  and  Durham  '  for  1877.  At  the  latter  date 
there  were  three  males  and  two  females  in  good  health.  In 
the  south  of  Yorkshire,  around  Hebden  Bridge,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1877,  six  strong  chicks  were  hatched  out  under  the 
care  of  a  Scottish  gamekeeper,  from  eggs  procured  from  the 
Highlands  {vide  'Newcastle  Chronicle!  January  1877).^ 

^  Mr.  David  Fyffe,  gamekeeper  at  Lindertis,  Forfar,  sent  seven  young 
birds  to  the  Duke  of  Newcastle.  One  cock  grew  to  the  size  of  a  moderately 
large  turkey ;  but  through  time  they  all  died. 


RESTORATION.  51 

At  an  earlier  date  (1842)  an  attempt  was  made  at  Tap- 
low  Court,  Buckingham  (Thompson,  'Birds  of  Ireland,'  ii. 
p.  33) ;  and  several  birds  were  sent  to  the  Earl  of  Derby  at 
Knowsley  in  the  same  year  {pp.  cit.)  The  Zoological  Society 
of  London  had  a  pair,  but  they  did  not  long  survive  ('  Penny 
Gyclopcedia'  vol.  vi.  p.  260).  By  the  following  extract  from 
the  'Auction  Catalogue  (corrected)  of  the  Menagerie  and 
Aviary  at  Knowsley!  August  1851,  p.  37, — copy  in  Library 
Zool.  Soc,  London, — it  would  appear  that  there  were  four  birds 
at  Knowsley  at  the  time  of  the  sale,  October  1851 : — 

,^.  .^   .  .*       (  2  Capercaillie,  male  and  female. 

(Divided  mto  V  ^       ^^^_  ^^^  ^  _ 

two  lots.)      ) 

The  birds  at  Eslington  all  died  off.  The  remaining  male 
became  too  mischievous  to  be  kept  with  safety,  and  had  to  be 
destroyed  before  the  late  lord's  death. 

Mr.  Webb  did  not — as  stated  in  '  Tlie  Field '  of  January  2, 
1875 — turn  out  any  Capercaillies  at  Newstead  Abbey,  Not- 
tingham, and  the  hybrid  reported  {op,  cit.)  was  a  cross  between 
a  blackcock  and  a  pheasant,  not  between  a  Capercaillie  and 
black  game  {'  Field,'  January  23,  1875). 

In  Ireland,  Lord  Bantry  attempted  to  introduce  them  at 
Glengariff.  Three  brace  of  birds  were  sent  over  by  Mr.  Lloyd, 
as  related  in  Thompson's  'Birds  of  Ireland,' vol.  ii.  p.  31. 
{Vide  Appendix.) 


PAET   IV. 

INCREASE  AND  EXTENSION  OF  RANGE. 

{mth  a  Map.) 


COPY  OF  CIECULAR. 

In  re  Capercaillie — Queries.  In  re  Capercaillie — Answers. 

Name  of  Estate Name  of  Estate. 

County Comity. 

1st.  Do  they  occur  on  above  estate  ?     .  1st. 


%. 


-2 


2d.  If  so,  are  they  resident  or  occa-  2d.  *S 

sional  ? ^ 

3d.  "Were  they  introduced,  or  did  they  3d.  -^ 

arrive  of  their  own  accord  ? 

4th.  If  introduced,  when  ? — give  year  4th. 

or    (failing    that),    approximate 
date 

5th.  If  introduced,  where  from  and  how  5th. 

— by  eggs  or  by  birds  ?       .        .  "^  W 

6th.  If  arrived  of  own  accord,  when  ?    .  gth.  ^'^ 

7th.  And  where  "probably  from  ?    .        .  7th.  ^  1 

8th.  When  did  they  become  fairly  esta-  sth. 


-u    . 


P-. 


blished  on  above  estate  ?    .         .  o  Ph 


-M      fH 


9th.  Are  they  "common,"  "abundant,"  9th.  |  :§ 

or  "  rare "?....  *  "fe  ^ 

10th.  How  many  have  you  seen  in  a  day,  10th. 

or  seen  shot  in  a  day  ;  and  when  ^  '^ 

was  it  you  saw  this  ? .         .         .  o  "' 

11th.  Give  approximate  extent  of  woods  11th. 

suitable  for  their  habits — pine  or 
fir — ^upon  the  above  estate  ;  in  >» 

acres  or  square  miles  ...  5 

o 

12th.  Are  they  preserved  ?      .        .         .  12th.  ^ 

13th.  Are  they  increasing  ?    .         .        ,  23th 

14th.  Are  Black  Game  decreasing  since  \l\\\ 

their  arrival,  or  otherwise  ? 

15th.  The  names    of   adjoining  estates  15th.  "^ 

where  they  occur,  with  any  par-  tg- 

ticulars  you  can  furnish — in  the 
above  order       .... 

Sign  Name  and  Address. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

INCREASE  AND  EXTENSION  OF  RANGE. 

In  the  following  sketch  of  the  increase  and  extension  of  range 
of  the  Capercaillie  in  Scotland  under  each  county,  I  have  given 
the  distances  in  direct  lines  from  Taymouth  of  each  locality 
or  group  of  localities  mentioned.  The  actual  lines  of  advance, 
however,  must  not  always  be  understood  to  have  followed 
these  direct  radii,  because,  as  shall  be  further  explained,  the 
natural  courses  of  the  waves  of  distribution — if  I  may  so  term 
their  acts  of  progress — follow,  for  the  most  part,  the  trend  of 
the  valleys  up  or  down  stream,  or  the  wooded  slopes  of  the 
hills,  seldom  reaching  across  hare  hills  of  any  altitude.  The 
accompanying  Map  will,  it  is  believed,  greatly  assist  in  indi- 
cating the  lines  of  advance,  and  should  be  consulted  whilst 
reading  the  text.  Owing  to  the  small  scale  of  the  map  the 
names  of  many  localities  are  necessarily  omitted,  but  most  of 
these  places  will  be  found  upon  Black's  maps  of  Scotland, 
and,  I  believe,  almost  all  upon  the  Ordnance  Survey  sheets, 
so  far  as  published. 

Explanation  of  the  Map. — The  map  is  on  the  scale  of 
one  inch  to  ten  miles. 

The  map  shows  that  portion  of  Scotland  which  may  be 
said  to  contain  the  area  at  present  occupied  by  the  Caper- 
caillie, excepting  the  Island  of  Arran — which  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  seat  of  a  separate  introduction — and  certain 


56  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

other  outlying  localities  in  the  North,  South,  and  West  of 
Scotland,  which  I  have  treated  of  as  fully  as  my  materials 
admit  of  in  the  text,  but  which  I  have  not  thought  it  neces- 
sary to  include  in  the  map. 

This  area  comprises  Perthshire — the  head-quarters  of  the 
species — Forfar,  Fife,  Kinross,  Clackmannan,  Stirling,  and 
Dumbarton;  and  also  the  neighbouring  portions  of  Argyle, 
Inverness,  Aberdeen,  and  Kincardine,  in  the  west  and  north ; 
and  the  Lothians  and  south  shore  of  the  Firth  of  Forth  in  the 
south. 

Those  portions  coloured  an  uniform  shade  of  red  show  the 
localities  where  I  have  ascertained  that  the  species  is  perma- 
nently established,  or  where  the  birds  are  at  present  resident. 
Those  other  portions,  dotted  red,  show  the  localities  where  the 
species  occurs  occasionally,  breeds  sporadically,  or  only  visits 
at  certain  seasons. 

Taymouth,  the  centke  of  restokation,  is  marked  thus, 

0  •  The  concentric  rings  show  the  distances  from  the  centre, 
on  the  scale  of  1  inch  to  10  miles,  the  scale  of  the  map. 

The  dates  of  arrival  of  the  species  at  the  various  localities 
are  printed  in  black  over  the  coloured  portions.  Where  a 
capital  E  precedes  the  date,  JEstablishment  is  recorded.^ 

Other  localities  where  successful  introductions  have  been 
effected — i.e.  where  Establishment  has  resulted — are  also 
marked  so,  © ;  but  in  the  text  Taymouth  is  always  spoken  of 
as  the  centre,  whence  all  distances  are  measured. 

Localities  where  unsuccessful  introductions  have  been 
made  are  indicated  by  a  cross,  thus  X  . 

^  While  many  of  the  dates  given  are  exact,  and  have  been  in  the  first 
instance  carefully  recorded,  many  others  must  be  accepted  only  as  approxi- 
mate. I  found  it  impossible  in  many  cases  to  obtain  exact  statistics  lof 
Arrival  or  Establishment,  and  many  of  the  returns  I  have  received  contained 
no  dates  whatever.     Such,  I  think,  can  hardly  be  looked  for  in  all  cases,  but 

1  believe  by  far  the  larger  number  of  the  dates  and  statistics  given  can  be  relied 
upon  for  all  practical  purposes. 


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CHAPTER    VII. 

PERTHSHIRE. 

Perthshire  continues  to  be  the  head-quarters  of  the  species, 
and  is  not  likely  to  lose  its  position  in  this  respect  for  a  long 
time  to  come,  although  Forfarshire  is  pressing  hard  to  emu- 
late it. 

All  the  minute  statistics  I  have  been  able  to  gather  I 
have  thought  worthy  of  record,  because  there  is  no  saying 
what  changes  of  circumstance  may  affect  the  future  census  of 
the  CapercaOlie  population,  or  what  difficulties  may  arise  at 
a  later  date,  if  the  statistics  of  its  earlier  history  since  its 
restoration  come  to  be  desired. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  arrange,  as  best  I  can,  the  statistics, 
starting  from  Taymouth  as  the  centre,  and  following  the  birds 
as  they  advance  outward  in  steady  "  waves  of  distribution." 

1837  and  1838.  Date  of  Eestoration  at  Tajnnouth,  marked 
O  on  map. 

1840.  Eeached  the  neighbourhood  of  Dunkeld,  one  having 
been  seen  at  Craig-y-barns  (15  miles  from  © ),  and  a  female 
at  Langridge  wood,  near  Scone  (23  miles  from  O  ).  Now — 
1877-78 — resident,  and  again  increasing,  though  a  decrease 
took  place  on  the  Athole  estates  for  some  years — preserved. 
This  is  part  of  a  district  on  the  Athole  estates,  stated  roundly 
as  containing  10,000  acres  of  suitable  woods. 

1841.  The  CapercaiUie  at  this  time  had  become  fully 


58  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

established  at  Taymouth.  At  present  (1878)  said  not  to  be 
so  abundant  as  twenty  years  ago.  Mark  in  this  connection 
the  migratory  movement  related  by  Sir  Eobert  Menzies 
{antea^  p.  49). 

1842.  Arrived  at  Murthly,  down  the  Tay  valley  (23  miles 
from  O  J  or  30  miles  following  the  river).  Were  much  more 
numerous  here  15-20  years  ago  than  they  are  at  present,  but 
are  again  on  the  increase  now.  They  have  3000  acres  of 
wood  to  thrive  in. 

1843.^  One,  a  female,  shot  at  Craig-y-bams  (ut  sup.) 

1844.  Became  established  at  Logierait  (14  miles  from©). 

1845.  Became  established  at  Murthly  (ut  sup.)  An  at- 
tempt was  made  to  introduce  them  at  Stronvar  in  Balqui- 
hidder.  Mr.  David  Carnegie  brought  over  two  cocks  and  four 
hens,  and  kept  them  for  some  years  in  confinement.  (See 
under  account  of  Eestoration.)  Stronvar  is  24  miles  in  a  direct 
line  from  Q ,  or  thereabouts.  A  male  bird  was  caught  alive  at 
Blair  Castle  (13  miles  O ),  and  was  sent  back  to  Taymouth. 
Became  established  between  Dunkeld  and  Logierait.  Supposed 
to  be  at  Ochtertyre  as  early  as  this ;  but  it  appears  doubtful,  as 
on  Fowlis  Wester,  adjoining,  we  have  no  account  of  them  before 
1852.  The  difference  of  dates  of  arrival  may,  however,  be  ac- 
counted for  by  difference  in  age  of  plantations  on  the  estates. 

1847.  According  to  the  proprietor's  information,  first  seen 
at  Faskally,  at  the  junction  of  the  Tummell  and  Garry,  in 
1847.  Another  account  gives  1857  (q.  v.)  as  date  of  first  ap- 
pearance in  the  Tummell  valley,  but  judging  from  other  evi- 
dence, and  the  continuity  of  the  woods  between  Faskally  and 
Dunkeld,  as  well  as  the  comparatively  short  distance  from 
the  centre,  (viz.  12  miles,  or  18  miles  by  river),  the  earlier  date 
must  be  accepted.     From  that  it  reached  up  the  Tummel 

1  Birds  sent  from  Taymouth  to  Arran.  See  also  under  "Arran,"  and 
a7itea,  under  "  Eestoration,"  Arrived  at  various  localities  between  Dunkeld 
and  Logierait,  where  they  are  now  resident  and  abundant. 


EXTENSION  IN  PERTHSHIRE.  59 

valley  to  Bonskeid,  Bohally,    and    Dunalastair,  which   are 
respectively  12  miles,  10  miles,  and  8  miles  from  O . 

Also  appeared  at  Lyndoch,  near  Strathord  (18  miles  from 
O  •)     Now — 1877 — abundant.     Area  about  1000  acres. 

Established  at  Glenalmond  (14  miles  from  Q ),  having 
bred  regularly  since  in  the  "  Small  Glen,"  but  almost  always 
leaving  for  the  more  extensive  and  suitable  woods  on  the 
south,  or  right,  bank  of  the  river  Almond — one  of  the  few 
instances  in  which  we  find  the  southern  bank  preferred. 
The  exposure,  however,  lies  weU  to  the  sun.  Preserved. 
Perhaps  30  to  40  birds  on  the  estate,  taking  aU  the  season 
through. 

1846.  Is  reported  to  have  reached  Gask  on  north,  or  left, 
bank  of  river  Earn  as  early  as  this  date ;  but  see  under  1858. 
Gask  is  21  miles  from  Q . 

[Birds  were  sent  to  Arran  direct  from  Sweden.  Eestoration 
in  Arran  partly  by  Taymouth  birds  (1843),  and  partly  by 
Swedish  birds.  (See  under  headings  "  Arran  "  and  "  Eestora- 
tion.") ] 

1848.  This  is  probably  nearer  the  correct  date  of  the  first 
bird  shot  at  West  Dron  on  the  Elcho  estates,  though  1844  has 
been  assigned — a  female.  It  was  shot  by  Mr.  Eobert  Wood, 
who  had  it  stuffed,  and  it  is  now  in  Lord  Elcho's  possession  at 
Gosford.  This  must  still  be  considered  an  early  arrival,  Tay- 
mouth being  28  miles  distant,  and  the  next  earliest  arrival  in 
the  district  dating  1853.  At  present  the  birds  are  only  occa- 
sional in  the  district,  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  coverts. 

1849.  Arrived  at  Keillor  Forest,  near  Methven  (21  miles 
from  O ).  17  birds  have  been  shot  here  in  one  day  at  Keillor 
Wood,  and  were  on  this  occasion  all  codes.  (Auct.  Mr.  David 
Brown,  naturalist,  late  of  Perth,  who  saw  them  killed.) 

1850.  Arrived  at  Banff  in  the  east  of  the  county  (27  miles 
from  O).  Area  2000  acres.  Increasing  very  much  now 
—1877.     25  have  been  shot  in  a  day. 


60  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Appeared,  but  rarely,  as  early  as  this  at  St.  Martins,  near 
Perth  (24  miles  from  ©  ).     For  establishment,  see  1860. 

Arrived  at  Gorthie,  Crieff  district  (16  miles  from  ©  )  from 
Taymouth  direction.  Established  1856.  First  shot  was  a 
hybrid.  After  that  they  increased.  Woods  at  that  time  about 
25  years  of  age,  and  are  now  composed  of  spruce,  Scotch  fir, 
and  larch ;  about  400  acres  in  extent.  Of  late  years  Caper- 
caillies  have  decreased,  owing  to  thinning  of  the  woods  to  a 
considerable  extent.  Black  game  have  now — 1878 — entirely 
disappeared,  and  it  is  believed  that  they  have  been  extirpated 
by  the  Capercaillies.'^  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Frank  Norgate, 
of  Norwich,  for  obtaining  for  me  the  return  from  this  locality, 
and  to  G.  E.  Mercer,  Esq.,  for  kindly  filling  in  the  circular. 

1852.  Hybrids  were  obtained  at  Logiealmond  in  Glen 
Almond  (14  miles  from© ),  as  related  in  the  ' ZooV  1860,  p. 
7325,  and  birds  arrived,  or  were  first  shot,  at  Fowlis  Wester 
and  at  Monzie  (18  miles  and  14  miles  from© ).  In  1859  12 
were  shot  one  day  at  Fowlis  Wester.  Not  supposed  to  be  in- 
creasing now  at  Fowlis  Wester.  Woods  very  extensive,  join- 
ing with  Abercairney,  Tulchan,  Balgowan,  Gorthy,  Cairnies, 
Keillor,  Methven,  and  Glenahnond.  On  Monzie  about  500 
acres  of  wood.  Arrived  also  at  Balgowan — adjoining  pro- 
perty— about  450  acres  of  Scots  fir  (see  1857  for  establish- 
ment, and  1864  for  increase).  Also  at  Kinfauns,  Carse  of 
Gowrie  (27  miles  from©),  where  there  are  miles  of  pine 
woods  adjoining.     Now  abundant. 

1853.  Are  reported  as  being  present  at  Strathallan  as 
early  as  1853  (21  miles  from©  ).     But  see  under  1857. 

Became  established  at  Woodhill,  Strathardle  (19  miles 
from  ©  ).     200  acres  of  wood. 

Arrived  in  the  Bridge  of  Earn  district,  at  Kilgraston,  Bal- 
manno,  Dron,  Dumbarney,  Glenearn,  Pitkeathly,  and  part  of 
Ochil  Hills  (25-28  miles  from©).    At  these  localities,  it  is, 

1  But  see  remarks  under  "Decrease  of  Black  Game,"  p.  120. 


EXTENSION  IN  PERTHSHIRE.  61 

however,  for  the  most  part  sporadical — or  occasionally  breed- 
ing, but  leaving  again.  The  pine  growth  is  not  extensive,  and 
is  for  the  most  part  mixed  with  hard  wood. 

Arrived  and  became  established  at  Dupplin  Castle,  north 
side  of  Earn  Eiver  (22  miles  from©).  16  were  killed  here 
one  day  in  1877.  This  property  contains  about  1800  acres  of 
pine  wood.     Preserved  and  increasing. 

1854.  The  first  appearance  at  TulliaUan  was  a  hybrid,  and 
none  were  seen  afterwards  till  the  introduction  took  place  in 
1856  (^.  v)  (38  miles  from  O).  Not  established  here  until 
1864  (^.  v) 

Arrived  at  Ardoch,  Braco,  near  Auchterarder.  (23  miles 
from  O  )•  150  acres  of  suitable  wood.  Now  common  and 
preserved. 

1856.  Became  established  about  1856  at  Ardoch  (ut  sup.) 
Introduced  at  TulliaUan,  but  only  hens  (four  in  number) 

reared,  resulting  in  hybrids.  Not  fairly  introduced  and  estab- 
lished tiU  1864  (q.  V.) 

First  seen  at  Lanrick,  Blairdrummond,  and  Gartencaber, 
near  Doune.     (27j  miles  from  Q  ).     Not  established  till  1860 

Arrived  at  Condie,  in  Ochil  HUls,  on  the  march  of  Kin- 
ross (30  miles  from  © ).  Probably  from  Invermay  and  Dup- 
pKn.     Eesident  now — 1877 ;  not  preserved ;  not  increasing. 

1857.  Another  account  gives  arrival  at  FaskaUy  in  1857; 
but  see  under  1847. 

First  seen  at  Ballathie,  near  StobhaU  (23  miles  from  © ). 
Here  the  suitable  acreage  is  isolated  and  limited,  or  an  earlier 
arrival  might  have  been  looked  for. 

Arrived  at  Ashmore  and  Pearsey,  east  of  the  county,  in 
Strathardle  (21-4  miles  from  © ),  or  earlier  ?  Vide  also  under 
1867. 

First  seen  at  Drummond  Castle— ?;.  '  Brummond  Castle 
Game  Book '  (17  miles  from  © ).     Now  abundant  (see  1870). 


62  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Arrived  at  Blackpark,  in  Glenalmond  (?  miles  from  © ), 
coming  from  the  north. 

Became  estabKshed  at  Balgowan,  in  the  Methven  and 
Glenalmond  district,  which  property  marches  with  Gorthy, 
Cairnies,  and  other  properties,  where  there  are  great  tracts 
of  forest.  For  arrival,  see  under  1852  {antea,  p.  60).  For  in- 
crease, see  under  1864.     (Balgowan  is  19  miles  from© ). 

Is  positively  stated  to  have  arrived  for  the  first  time  at 
StrathaUan,  coming  from  the  forests  to  the  north  (19  miles 
from  © ).  2000  acres  of  Scots  fir  on  Tullibardine  Moor. 
Preserved.  They  increased  rapidly  until  the  number  reached 
the  limit  the  woods  were  able  to  support.  Also  became 
established  the  same  season  (185*7).  See,  however,  under 
1853. 

1858.  Up  to  this  time  they  were  strictly  preserved  on  the 
Athole  properties,  and  scarcely  any  ever  shot. 

Arrived,  and  became  established  at  Methven  (20  miles 
from  © ),  from  the  direction  of  Bimam,  and  down '  the  Tay 
valley  by  Strathord  and  Lyndoch.  300  acres  fir.  Not  pre- 
served, not  increasing. 

Arrived  at  Inchmartine,  in  the  Carse  of  Gowrie  (25-8  miles 
from  © ).  Probably  from  St.  Martins,  across  the  wooded 
Sidlaw  HiUs.     The  properties  adjoin. 

Said  to  have  arrived  at  Strathord  only  this  year  (21  miles 
from  © ),  but  probably  earlier,  as  record  is  indefinite.  Com- 
pare Lyndoch  under  1847. 

Arrived  at  Trinity  Gask,  between  Dupplin  and  Strath- 
aUan, on  north  or  left  bank  of  river  Earn,  on  the  authority  of 
Sir  Thomas  Moncrieffe,  Bart.,  though  one  correspondent  places 
it  at  1846,  speaking  from  memory,  and  another  at  1863  ;  but 
I  take  this  date,  as  Sir  Thomas  Moncrieffe  adds  that  his  in- 
formation is  from  memoranda  in  his  possession.  (20  miles 
from  © ),  probably  from  Lyndoch  direction. 

The  first  obtained  at  Loyal  House,  near  Alyth,  in  the  east 


EXTENSION  IN  PEETHSHIRE.  63 

of  the  county  (28  miles  from  © ),  by  Major  J.  W.  Wedderburn, 
was  a  hybrid  (see  *  Proc.  Boyal  Fhyl.  Soc.,'  vol.  ii.  p.  44).  See 
also  under  heading  "  Hybrids,"  farther  on,  p.  115. 

1859.  Established  at  Trinity  Gask  {ut  sujp)  Area  of 
wood  on  Trinity  Gask  360  acres.    Not  increasing. 

As  many  as  twelve  were  shot  in  one  day  at  Wester  Fowlis 
this  season  (20  miles  from  © ). 

About  this  time  birds  were  on  Abercairney,  but  I  have  no 
fixed  date  of  arrival  for  this  property.  (See  under  1861  and 
1862.) 

1860.  Became  established  at  Lanrick,  Blairdrummond,  and 
Gartincaber  (see  for  arrival,  1856).  Probably  they  reached 
this  from  the  Drummond  Castle  direction.  Hens,  as  usual, 
were  seen  first,  but  the  remains  of  a  cock  were  found  also  in 
1856.  Had  it  survived,  probably  an  earlier  establishment 
would  have  taken  place.  See  "  General  Distribution,"  infra, 
p.  113. 

Became  established  at  Banff  (27 J  miles  from©).  See 
1850. 

Arrived  at  Elindrogan,  in  Glen  Brerachan,  near  Dunkeld 
(only  19  miles  from  © ).  A  late  date,  but  the  direction  of 
their  advance  would  not  probably  be  across  the  hills  from 
Dunkeld,  but  up  the  valley  from  Ashmore  and  Pearsey,  in 
Strathardle. 

Became  established  on  St.  Martins,  and  were  plentiful  by 
that  time  (see  1850).  On  this  and  estates  adjoining — viz. 
Dunsinnan,  Scone,  Stobhall,  etc.,  there  are  large  tracts  of 
wood.  On  St.  Martins  two  woods,  of  1000  and  2000  acres, 
are  in  part  shared  with  Dunsinnan  and  Lord  Mansfield's. 
They  are  now  as  abundant  as  black  game  used  to  be,  which 
Mr.  Macdonald  Macdonald,  of  St.  Martins,  writes  they  have 
now  quite  driven  out.  Black  game  are  now  "  entirely  gone  " 
from  the  estate.  St.  Martins  also  joins  with  Inchmartin 
estate  in  the  Carse  of  Gowrie,  across  the  wooded  Sidlaw  Hills. 


64  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

A  hybrid  was  obtained  in  Perthshire,  and  a  nest  of  nine 
eggs  found  at  Logiealmond  (' Zool.'  1860,  p.  7235). 

1861.  First  seen  at  Kinnoul,  as  far  as  I  can  gather  {v. 
'  Scot.  Nat.;  vol.  i.  p.  114).     (25  miles  from  Q ). 

First  bird  shot  at  Abercairney,  near  Crieff,  on  the  8th 
November,  "  but  numbers  were  on  the  estate  two  or  three 
years  previously,  but  were  not  shot  at."  (James  Eobertson, 
keeper,  Abercairney.) 

1862.  About  this  time  very  abundant  at  Taymouth.  Esti- 
mated at  1000  birds  by  Lord  Breadalbane,  and  over  2000  by 
James  Guthrie,  the  keeper,  but  I  have  no  doubt  they  reached 
a  maximum  before  this. 

1862.  First  shot  at  Gleneagles,  near  Auchterarder  (25 
miles  from  © ).  The  wood  here  is  small,  and  mostly  mixed 
hard  wood.  Had  Gleneagles  been  well  planted  with  pine  it 
would  have  formed  a  natural  avenue  of  advance  into  Glen- 
devon,  and  across  the  Ochils  into  Kinross  and  West  Fife. 

First  shot  at  Stobhall  (23  miles  from  Q ).  '  Drummond 
Castle  Game  Booh;  First  seen  at  Moncrieffe — a  female, 
October  27.     (Memorandum  by  Sir  Thomas  Moncrieffe.) 

Established  about  this  date  on  Abercairney,  near  Crieff 
(19  miles  from  Q ).  Now  as  many  as  12  seen  in  a  day.  Pre- 
served ;  increasing  slowly. 

1862.  About  this  date,  "16  years  ago,"  one  was  shot  on 
Glengyle  Hill  (?),  near  Loch  Katrine  (28  miles  from  Q ).  This 
date  is  a  long  way  in  advance  of  others  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  I  fancy  there  must  be  some  mistake. 

1863.  For  Gask,  see  1858. 

Said  to  be  becoming  scarcer  at  Murthly.  Were  much 
more  numerous  15-20  years  ago  than  now.  One  reason 
assigned  is,  that  the  late  Mr.  Condie  killed  them  down  for  a 
few  years  in  Eohalzion  woods  opposite.  They  are  now  again 
increasing. 

Established  at  Moncrieffe  (26  J  miles  from  © ).     Now  50 


EXTENSION  IN  PERTHSHIRE.  65 

or  60  seen  in  a  day.  Preserved.  500  acres  and  upwards. 
Not  increasing.  Sir  Thomas  Moncrieffe  notices  that  a  number 
migrate  every  year. 

See  Abercairney,  Criefif  district,  under  1861  and  1862 ; 
and  map. 

1864.  EstabKshed  at  TuUiallan,  an  introduction  by  eggs, 
procured  by  Lord  Balfour  of  Burleigh  from  Freeland.  For 
account  of  introduction,  see  under  Chap.  xx.  p.  116.  Now 
very  abundant  at  Fowlis  Wester. 

Bred  at  Aberuthven  wood,  south  side  of  river  Earn,  east 
of  Auchterarder — an  isolated  clump  of  about  60  acres  of  fir 
(24  miles  from  © ),  and  continued  to  do  so  sporadically,  until 
1869  or  so,  when  they  left  altogether,  the  wood  probably 
becoming  too  old.  In  1861,  I  shot  in  this  wood,  and.it  was 
then  of  pretty  old  growth. 

First  seen  at  Kippenross  (27j  miles  from  Q ).  Woods  on 
Sheriffmuir  pretty  extensive. 

Arrived  at  Bahnyle,  in  Strathardle,  and  at  Black  Craig, 
Strathardle,  "probably  from  Athole"  (?)  (21  and  20  miles 
from  O  respectively).  About  40  acres  of  wood  on  Balmyle 
estate  and  100  on  Black  Craig.  Not  abundant;  preserved; 
increasing. 

Arrived  at  Glentarchy  and  Ayton,  in  the  Bridge  of  Earn 
district  (30  miles  from  ©).  See  1856,  where  arrival  is 
recorded  at  Condie,  in  the  Ochils,  still  farther  to  the  south. 
Discrepancy  may  be  accounted  for  in  the  later  growth  of 
wood  at  Glentarchy. 

At  Balgowan  the  keeper  saw  100  birds  in  one  place  at  one 
time  in  1864  (see  1852  and  1857),  and  13  have  been  shot  in 
one  day. 

1865.  First  seen  at  Braes  of  Doune — Lord  Moray's  pro- 
perty (26  miles  from  ©).  Apparently  a  discrepancy,  but 
various  causes  must  be  taken  into  consideration.  They  appear 
to  have  arrived  at  Lanrick  and  Gartencaber,  coming  from 

F 


66  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Ardoch  and  Drummond  Castle,  before  populating  Braes  of 
Doune.  But  even  now  (1877)  they  are  only  uncertain  in  the 
woods  there,  and  on  Argaty  adjoining.  The  woods  are  some- 
what isolated,  and  not  very  extensive. 

Appeared  at  Luib,  Glendochart  (25  miles  from  Q  ). 

First  seen  at  Pitcairlie,  Fife  march  (33  miles  from  Q ). 
See  under  Fife,  1865. 

Established  at  Monzie,  Crieff  district  (15  miles  from  Q ) ; 
Ferntower  (15  miles  from  Q  ) ;  Ochtertyre  (15  miles  from  Q ). 
These  are  now  quite  parts  of  the  stronghold  of  the  species  in 
the  south  of  Perth. 

Established  at  Dalnaglar,  Glen  Shee,  east  of  county  (25 
miles  from  Q ).  For  full  notes  on  this  locality,  see  under 
"  Deci^ease  of  Black  Game,"  etc. 

Established  at  TuUiallan.  See  under  "Hybrids"  and 
"  Eestoration." 

Arrived  on  Kincardine  estate  between  this  date  and  1860, 
probably  from  Strathallan  or  Drummond  Castle.  Kincardine, 
near  Auchterarder  (24  miles  from  Q ). 

1866.  First  seen  at  Aldie,  near  Crook  of  Devon,  march  of 
county  Kinross  (32  miles  from  O ),  and  established  same  year. 
Not  preserved  formerly,  but  present  tenant  does  preserve.  At 
present  rare,  but  likely  to  increase. 

Established  at  Glentarchy  and  Ay  ton  (see- 1864).  Not 
likely  to  become  numerous.  Glentarchy  is  really  in  Fife, 
q.  V.  under  1866. 

First  seen  at  Invermay  (26  miles  from  Q ),  near  Dunning. 
Occasional  at  present  (1877).  Common  in  autumn;  eight 
seen  in  a  day.  About  200  acres  mixed  wood.  Increasing, 
but  do  not  breed  here. 

1867.  First  shot  at  Airthrey,  near  Stirling,  south  of  county 
(31  miles  from  ©  ).  Five  seen  at  Bridge  of  Allan,  Christmas 
1877. 

[Said  to  be  estabKshed  only  in  1867,  at  Ashmore  and 


EXTENSION  IN  PEI^THSHIRE.  67 

Persey,  east  of  county,  but  the  other  record  is  best  authenti- 
cated.    See  under  1857.] 

Very  abundant  at  Ochtertyre  (see  1865). 

1868.  A  female  first  seen  at  Cardross  (32  miles  from  O ), 
S.W.  of  county  (see  under  1870). 

Arrived  at  Garvock  from  Gask  or  Dupplin.  Garvock  is 
near  Dunning  (27  miles  from  Q ). 

1869.  Abundant  at  Dunsinnan,  to  the  N.E.  of  Perth 
(27  miles  from  © ).  I  saw  at  least  thirty  there  one  day  when 
shooting  in  December.  I  have  not  received  dates  of  arrival 
or  establishment  at  this  locality. 

1870.  First  male  seen  at  Cardross,  near  Lake  of  Menteith 
(see  1868  and  1871). 

Abundant  at  Drummond  Castle,  Earn  valley,  near  Crieff. 
This  is  now  a  great  stronghold  of  the  birds  in  the  south  of 
the  county  (17  miles  from  Q);  strictly  preserved  now;  in- 
creasing very  much  still.  The  adjoining  estates  are  Strowan, 
Ardoch,  Strathallan,  Abercairney,  etc.,  upon  all  of  which 
there  are  considerable  areas  of  suitable  and  continuous  woods. 
Torlum  ^  Hill,  the  highest  in  Scotland  which  is  wooded  to  the 
summit  (by  last  survey  1291  feet),  is  on  the  march  between 
the  Drummond  estates  and  Strowan,  and  is  considered  to  be 
more  thickly  populated  by  Capercaillies  than  any  other 
localities  in  the  Crieff- Comrie  district. 

1871.  Established  at  Cardross.  (This  is  a  good  illustra- 
tion of  the  succession  and  arrival  of  female  and  male,  and 
establishment — see  farther  on,  p.  113.) 

Arrived  at  Stronvar,  Balquhidder.  (For  attempt  at 
introduction  see  1845).  Only  occasional  at  present,  and  rare 
(only  24  miles  from  Q ,  but  across  hills,  in  a  direct  line). 

^  Torlum,  from  Gaelic  Tor-lorn,  or  The  hare  hill.  *'This  appearance  is 
now  changed,  it  having  been  planted  in  the  end  of  the  last  century  ;  but  draw- 
ings which  exist  of  Drummond  Castle  show  that  the  name  was  truly  descrip- 
tive {vide  Robertson's  '  Gaelic  Topography  of  Scotland,  and  what  it  proves,' 
1869,  p.  457). 


68  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Probably  advanced  from  Comrie  and  Crieff  along  Lochearn- 
side,  or  possibly  from  the  Doune  district,  or  possibly  from 
Glen  Dochart.    The  Doune  district  route  is  the  least  likely. 

1872.  Arrived  at  Leny,  near  Callander  (25  miles  from  ©  ). 
Probably  from  Lanrick  and  Doune  (see  1874). 

Arrived  and  bred  at  Ashintully,  15  miles  north  of  Blair- 
gowrie (14  miles  from  © ). 

1873.  Only  occasional  at  Balquhidder  still  (24  miles  from 
© ).  Near  Stronvar.  Up  to  present  time  (1878)  only  occasional. 

1874.  Twenty-three  shot  one  day  at  Dunkeld  in  1874 
(see  1843-4). 

Established  at  Leny.  Ten  to  twelve  birds  on  estate  now 
(see  1877).  In  Glenartney,  behind  the  hill  from  Leny, 
there  are  no  Capercaillies.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  they 
advanced  to  Leny  via  Doune  and  Lanrick. 

1876.  First  shot  in  Dearry  woods,  5  miles  from  Lochearn- 
head  (about  15  miles  from  © ,  across  the  hiUs). 

Very  abundant  at  Moncrieffe ;  thirty  seen  in  a  day  (see 
1863). 

A  young  retriever  dog  caught  a  young  chick  at  Leny  at 
the  end  of  July.  This  is  the  first  positive  evidence  of  their 
having  bred  here. 

1877.  First  seen  at  Kippendavie,  near  Stirling  (28  miles 
from  © ) ;  woods  scattered. 

First  seen  at  Evelick,  Carse  of  Gowrie  (24  miles  from  © ). 

First  seen  at  ArdvorKch,  south  side  of  Loch  Earn  (18  miles 
from  © ).     Patch  of  isolated  larch  wood  of  considerable  age. 

First  seen  at  Loch  Kennord,  between  Tay  and  Strath- 
braan  district.  Probably  came  up  the  vaUey  from  Strath- 
braan,  having  reached  round  from  Taymouth  almost  in  a 
circle  ;  or  possibly,  as  wood  was  planted  higher  up  the  slope 
of  the  hiU  on  the  north  side  of  the  Tay,  or  grew  to  a  greater 
height,  the  birds  may  only  at  this  late  date  have  attained  an 
altitude  sufficient  to  permit  them  to  see  the  wooded  banks  of 


EXTENSION  IN  PERTHSHIRE.  69 

Loch  Kennord,  at  the  back  of  the  lower  hills  which  are  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Tay.  While  all  the  way  down  the  river 
from  Dull,  on  the  north  bank,  to  Pitnacree,  near  Dunkeld, 
the  birds  occur,  it  is  somewhat  strange  how  almost  unknown 
they  are  across  the  river  at  any  locality  below  Taymouth ; 
the  want  of  wood,  however,  sufficiently  accounting  for  it. 
Increase  in  the  growth  of  the  trees  at  Loch  Kennord  also,  of 
course,  may  have  been  the  cause  of  attracting  them.  I  think 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  bird's  power  of  vision  is 
great,  and  that  this  is  a  powerful  factor  in  their  distribution. 
They  are  often  seen  plunging  from  the  wooded  heights  of 
Moncrieffe  Hill,  and  making  for  the  woods  which  lie  scattered 
over  the  eastern  spur  of  the  Ochils,  and  which  are  situated 
upon  the  properties  of  Invermay,  Condie,  Kilgraston,  and  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  Bridge  of  Earn — a  distance  of  four  or  five 
miles  at  one  flight.  Though  never  occurring  on  Seggieden 
property,  they  are  established  close  to  it  on  Kinnoul,  and 
Colonel  Drummond  Hay  has  often  seen  them  passing  high 
overhead,  making  for  the  wooded  slopes  of  Evelick  in  the 
Carse  of  Gowrie. 

1877.  Had  reached  Tyndrum,  at  head  of  Glendochart,  only 
27  miles  from  © ,  but  locality  far  removed  from  suitable  woods 
(see  remarks  farther  on,  under  "  General  Eemarks,"  p.  105). 

1878.  At  the  present  time  Capercaillie  are  abundant  at 
Dall,  on  Lochrannochside,  as  I  am  informed  by  Mr.  George 
Galbraith,  Skye,  who  knows  the  district  well  between  that 
and  Faskally,  along  the  Tummel  valley.  He  writes  {in  lit) : — 
"  At  Dall  they  seem  to  be  more  numerous  than  in  any  other 
place — [i.e.  on  the  Tummel  above  Faskally. — J.  A.  H.  B.]  The 
Black  Wood  of  Eannoch  seems  to  suit  them.  I  have  seldom 
or  ever  gone  trout-fishing  on  Eannoch  without  seeing  several." 

They  are  resident.  Two  males  were  first  observed  in  the 
Black  Wood,  and  lived  for  two  or  three  years  in  celibacy.  A 
female  was  then  introduced  by  the  late  Struan  Eobertson, 


70  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Esq.,  and  tnese  three  birds  were  the  ancestors  of  all  the 
Capercaillie  now  in  the  Black  Wood,  as  I  am  informed  by 
another  correspondent  resident  on  the  spot. 

1878.  At  Glen  Queich  (about  5  miles  from  ©),  it  has 
again  been  observed.  Here  there  is  only  a  small  bit  of 
young  plantation  and  a  few  scattered  large  trees. 

Beyond  Perthshire  limits,  the  CapercaiUie  had  reached 
Forfarshire  in  1859,  and  farthest  in  that  county  at  Stracathro, 
near  Brechin,  in  1865  (54  miles  from  O  ). 

In  Fife  it  was  first  seen  in  1863,  and  reached  farthest  in 
that  county  in  1875,  at  Kinaldy  (50  miles  from  ©). 

In  west  of  Fife  about  1871,  but  these  birds  probably 
came  from  the  separate  Q  at  Tulliallan,  and  reached  Pitreavie 
in  1877,  near  Dunfermline  (43  miles  from  Q  ). 

In  Stirlingshire  first  appearance  was  in  1856,  probably  a 
strayed  bird  from  Tulliallan, — a  female  shot  on  an  open  common 
at  Stenhousemuir,  near  Larbert  (38  miles  from  Q ).  The  next 
was  about  1866,  at  Garden,  near  Kippen  (35  miles  from  Q ). 
Thus  it  is  seen  they  arrived  here  before  they  arrived  at 
Cardross  (1868).  But  this  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that 
Garden  woods,  which  are  frequented  by  them,  stand  on  a 
height,  and  are  visible  from  Doune,  whence,  doubtless,  they 
came,  whilst  Cardross  woods  lie  in  a  hollow,  with  rising 
ground  intervening.  They  reached  their  farthest  in  Stirling- 
shire, at  Dougalstone,  Milngavie,  near  Glasgow  (45  miles  from 
O  ),  in  1877,  where  they  bred  for  the  first  time. 

In  outlying  counties, — they  reached  Linlithgow  in  1872  ; 
Edinburgh  in  1876  and  1877,  the  latter  being  probably  one 
of  two  birds  seen  shortly  before  at  Pitreavie  in  Fife  (vide 
map).  Towards  Loch  Lomond,  an  occasional  bird  had  been 
got  as  early  as  1867,  and  one  in  1878,  at  Eoss  Priory.  In 
Argyleshire  at  the  Black  Mount  (an  unsuccessful  introduction). 

For  particulars  of  advance,  I  refer  readers  to  separate 
accounts  of  the  counties.    We  now  proceed  to  Forfarshire. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EXTENSION  IN  FORFAESHIRE. 

This  county  ranks  next  to  Perthshire  in  its  Capercaillie 
population,  and,  notwithstanding  that  the  proprietors  look 
upon  the  Capercaillie  as  rather  a  mischievous  bird,  it  has 
succeeded  in  gaining  good  foot-hold.  They  are  not,  however, 
preserved  in  Forfar  to  the  same  extent  as  in  Perthshire,  and 
on  several  estates  they  are  killed  at  all  opportunities.  I  still 
require,  I  believe,  further  data  from  the  northern  parts  of 
Forfar,  especially  Glens  Clova,  Prosen,  Upper  Isla,  and  North 
Esk."^  Avenues  of  advance  into  Aberdeenshire  may  occur  in 
Glens  Clova  and  North  Esk,  but  on  this  head  I  will  speak  later. 
1856.  The  earliest  appearance  of  the  birds  in  Forfarshire 
appears  to  have  been  in  1856.  Arrived  at  Lindertis,  near 
Kirriemuir  (about  35  miles  from  O ).  Eesident.  In  1868 
six  brace  were  shot  one  day.  There  are  800  acres  of  Scots 
fir  and  blaeberry.  "  The  cover  in  which  we  mostly  find 
them  is  about  45  years  of  age."  They  do  not  increase  here, 
being  too  much  disturbed ;  and  being  close  to  some  of  Lord 
Airlie's  large  wooded  hills,  the  birds  go  there,  where  they  are 
not  disturbed.  "  There  are  about  the  same  number  as  on 
arrival."     [This  points  to  an  emigration  of  a  large  body  of 

1  The  farthest  north  they  go  in  Forfarshire  is  to  Shelgreen  and  Benscreavie 
woods,  about  ten  miles  north  of  Kirriemuir.  At  Glenhead,  twelve  miles  north 
of  Alyth,  they  have  also  appeared,  but  orders  have  been  given  to  shoot  them 
down  **  on  account  of  their  destructiveness  to  black  game." 


72  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

the  birds  at  once.]     Black  game  are  now  decreasing,  "  but  not 
on  account  of  Capercaillies." 

1859.  A  male  bird  was  shot  on  the  5th  January  1859  in  the 
united  covers  on  the  four  estates  of  Aucharroch,  Ascreavie, 
Kinchine,  and  Airlie,  on  which  the  wood  is  about  two  miles 
long  by  three-quarter  mile  wide,  and  consists  of  spruce,  pine, 
and  larch.  "The  birds  shift,  accordingly,  as  they  are  dis- 
turbed." Probably  arrived  here  from  Bamfif  by  Alyth,  in 
Perthshire.  "  Hens  are  most  numerous."  Auct.  Mr.  Thomas 
Phillips,  twenty  years  gamekeeper  at  Ascreavie  (32  miles  to 
34  miles  from  Q ). 

1860.  I  have  one  record  of  the  bird  in  Forfarshire  as  early 
as  1860,  but  this  must  have  been  a  thoroughly  strayed  bird, 
to  reach  as  far  as  Easter  Ogle  (43  miles  from  Q ),  in  Glen  Esk. 

A  probable  establishment  took  place  at  Airlie  and 
Ascreavie,  as  establishment  is  found  to  take  place  usually 
immediately  after  the  arrival  of  the  male  bird  (see  1856  and 
1859). 

1862.  The  birds  do  not  appear  to  have  become  established 
in  south  of  Forfarshire  before  1862,  when  they  arrived  and 
became  resident  at  Fotheringham  and  Tealing  (the  properties 
of  W.  Scott  Elliott,  Esq.)  The  direction  of  their  advance 
was  probably  from  the  N.E.  spurs  of  the  low- wooded  range  of 
the  Sidlaw  hills,  and  from  the  flatter  country  lying  between 
these  hills  and  the  rivers  Tay  and  Isla,  as  we  find  dates  of 
arrival  and  establishment  in  the  adjoining  parts  of  Perthshire, 
as  well  as  suitable  country  favouring  this  line.  Fotheringham 
and  Tealing  are  respectively  38  miles  and  39  miles  from 
Taymouth  0  ;  and  there  are  about  2500  acres  of  suitable 
wood  upon  the  two  estates. 

The  same  year  an  impulse  was  given  by  a  successful 
introduction  at  Cortachy  by  birds,  where  of  late  16  have 
been  seen  in  a  day,  and  8  shot.  Not  preserved.  Increasing. 
Black  game  decreasing. 


EXTENSION  IN  FORFARSHIRE.  73 

1863.  In  this  year  two  male  birds  were  shot  at  Kinnordy, 
and  since  then  they  have  been  resident,  having  plenty  of 
scope  to  iQcrease  their  numbers  in  large  fir  and  larch  woods, 
of  between  400  and  500  acres  in  extent.  These  birds  probably 
arrived  from  the  direction  of  the  Bamff  estate  on  the  borders 
of  Perth,  or  it  is  also  possible  that  they  came  northward  from 
the  Sidlaw  hills,  as  we  find  them  also  at  Glamis  in  1863, 
though  not  established  there  till  1865  or  1866.  The  former 
advance,  we  think,  is  the  more  probable  of  the  two,  as 
correspondents  agree  that  the  first  place  visited  by  the  birds 
in  this  part  of  Forfar  was  on  Lord  Airlie's  grounds,  close  to 
the  county  march.  I  do  not,  unfortunately,  hold  an  exact 
date  for  their  arrival  at  AirHe  Castle,  but  I  have  a  return  from 
the  united  estates  of  Airlie,  Ascreavie,  Aucharroch,  and 
Kinchine,  which  is  sufficiently  exact. 

1864.  Occasional  birds  appeared  at  Kincaldrum,  probably 
wandered  from  Airlie  Castle  or  Kinnordy.  The  woods  are 
about  100  acres  in  extent,  but  the  birds  have  never  become 
resident. 

1865.  Arrived  at  Team;  becoming  established  in  1868 
(g'.v.)  (44  miles  from  Q ).  The  area  of  wood  is  not  great, 
only  some  40  acres,  but  this  appears  to  be  sufficient  to  hold 
them. 

It  was  in  this  year  also  that  Capercaillie  reached  Stracathro, 
the  farthest  point  in  Forfar,  in  the  Brechin  district.  This  is 
still  the  only  locality  in  the  immediate  viciaity  of  Stracathro 
where  they  are  resident  and  breediag,  though  stragglers  are 
shot  on  most  of  the  adjoining  estates.  In  1877  there  were 
3  or  4  broods,  and  my  friend  Mr.  W.  Horn  saw  7  or  8  birds 
in  one  day's  cover-shooting,  though  the  proprietors  do  not 
protect,  but  try  to  keep  their  numbers  from  increasing.  Stra- 
cathro is  54  miles  from  © ,  and  the  direction  of  their  advance 
to  this  point  is  almost  in  a  straight  line  from  Dunkeld.  At 
Dalnaglar,  a  point  in  Glen  Shee  almost  upon  the  Forfar  and 


74  THE  CAPEROAILLIE. 

Perth  march,  they  also  arrived  in  1865 ;  and  this  illustrates 
remarkably  well,  amongst  many  other  statistics,  the  preference 
for  following  valleys,  and  their  objection  to  crossing  moun- 
tains, Dalnaglar  being  only  25  miles  from  ©  in  a  straight 
line. 

1866.  Arrived  about  this  date,  or  a  year  or  two  earlier,  at 
Auchterhouse,  a  locality  considerably  nearer  to  the  Sidlaw 
hiUs  than  Tealing  or  Fotheringham.  My  local  topographical 
knowledge  of  this  part  of  the  country  is  not  sufficient  to  allow 
me  to  offer  a  reason  for  this  apparent  discrepancy,  unless  it 
be  found  in  the  fact  of  the  then  age  of  the  timber  on  the 
different  estates,  which  was  ready  for  cutting  in  1877  on 
Auchterhouse.  A  large  quantity  was  cut  in  1877,  and  a  con- 
sequent decrease  in  the  numbers  of  CapercaiUies  is  looked  for. 
If  all  old  wood  about  1866,  and  Tealing  had  younger  wood, 
the  birds  might  pass  over  to  the  latter. 

Became  established  at  Easter  Ogle,  where  it  is  said  to  have 
appeared  as  early  as  1860,  and  is  now  common,  as  many  as 
20  to  24  having  been  shot  in  a  day,  although  the  acreage  of 
wood  is  only  from  100  to  150  on  Easter  Ogle  and  Deuchar, 
principally  pine  and  larch.  They  are  preserved,  but  are  not 
now  increasing. 

1868.  Became  established  at  Fearn,  where  they  are  not 
numerous,  the  acreage  being  small  (see  1865). 

Arrived  about  1868  at  Glen  Ogle,  or  possibly  a  little 
earlier,  where  they  are  not  now  increasing.  Mr.  James  Eobbie, 
head-keeper,  has  observed  their  tendency  to  migrate. 

Arrived  at  Panmure  (45  miles  from  Q ),  where,  however, 
it  is  stiU  only  occasional,  or  where  one  or  two  may  be  seen  in 
a  day.     Came  from  Fotheringham. 

1870.  First  appeared — a  male — at  Bahiamoon,  in  the  Stra- 
cathro  district,  north-east  of  the  county.  Now  resident ;  pre- 
served, and  increasing  in  a  fir  wood  of  300  acres  (50  miles 
from  O ).     Occur  also  on  Hunthill,  Careston,  Glen  Ogle,  etc. 


EXTENSION  IN  FORFARSHIKE.  75 

Arrived  about  1870  at  Ballintore,  from  Airlie,  and  estab- 
lished about  1872,  in  woods  of  about  80  acres,  where  they  are 
preserved,  but  are  not  increasing  at  present.  Occur  also  on 
neighbouring  properties  of  Aucharroch  and  Ascreavie. 

1871.  Arrived  from  the  west  about  1871  at  Auchnacree 
(32  miles  from  ©).  Established  about  1873.  Not  pre- 
served, but  still  increasing,  in  a  wood  of  100  acres.  As  usual, 
in  most  cases,  a  female  was  first  observed. 

Arrived  about  1871  at  Careston,  Glen  Esk  (46  miles  from 
O).  Not  preserved,  but  still  increasiag.  Acreage  150  of 
pine,  and  90  of  birch,  etc.  Probably  came  from  Fearn  or 
Balhall. 

1877.  Are  stated  to  reach  along  the  south  slope  of  the 
Grampians,  and  may  be  expected  to  spread  into  Deeside,  in 
Aberdeen,  and  through  Kincardineshire,  probably  vid  Glen- 
dye,  which  runs  into  the  Feugh,  and  so  joins  the  Dee  at  Ban- 
chory. Glen  Dye  is  wooded  far  up  into  the  dividing  range  of 
hills,  but  there  is  a  considerable  portion  of  moorland,  which 
would  require  to  be  bridged  by  the  birds'  flight.  Still  this 
appears  to  me  to  be  the  probable  outlet  beyond  the  Gram- 
pians.^ 

Capercaillies  occur  also  in  Forfarshire  at  various  other 
localities,  from  which,  however,  I  have  no  dates  of  arrival  or 
establishment.    Amongst  these  I  may  mention : — 

Kinnaird,  near  Brechin ;  Balnaboth,  in  Glen  Prosen,  a  far 
north  locality ;  Lindertis,  near  Kirriemuir ;  Noranside ;  Bal- 
haU. 

^  Vide  Kincardineshire.  Since  the  above  was  written  they  have  followed 
this  route. 


CHAPTEE  IX. 


Permanently  inhabited  by  the  species,  Fife  can,  however, 
hardly  claim  to  be  distinctively  a  CapercaiLKe  country,  as  the 
woods  are  not,  as  a  rule,  of  very  great  extent,  as  in  Perth  and 
Forfar.  At  one  or  two  localities,  however,  they  are  increasing 
steadily  in  numbers,  as,  for  instance,  at  Lathirsk,  east  of  Auch- 
termuchty,  where  they  were  introduced  a  few  years  ago,  and 
where,  in  1877-8,  there  would  be  from  20  to  30  birds. 

1863.  The  first  Capercaillie  seen  in  Fife,  so  far  as  I  can 
learn,  was  shot  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  ago  at  Eankeillor,  to 
the  west  of  Cupar  (37  miles  from  ©  ),  after  a  long  continued 
gale  from  the  north — auct.  Eobert  Tullis,  Esq.  It  is  true. 
Captain  H.  W.  Feilden  informs  me  that  he  has  an  indistinct 
recollection  of  a  Capercaillie  having  been  killed  at  Falkland 
Castle,  where  there  are  extensive  fir  woods,  as  early  as  1847, 
but  I  have  been  unable  to  obtain  more  exact  statistics. 

1864.  Stragglers  appeared  about  Colessie,  near  Auchter- 
muchty,  and  around  that  neighbourhood,  and  at  several 
localities  along  the  Fife -Perth  march,  but  it  was  not  until 
much  later  that  the  birds  appeared  to  take  a  hold  on  the 
county. 

1868.  A  great  blank  now  occurs,  and  we  hear  nothing  more 
of  the  Capercaillie  in  Fife  until  1868,  when  the  birds  arrived 
^  I  find  I  have  returns  from  at  least  twenty  localities  in  Fife. 


EXTENSION  IN  FIFESHIRE.  17 

at  Pitlour  (32  miles  from  © ),  near  Auchtermuchty,  probably 
coming  from  the  direction  of  the  Bridge  of  Earn  district,  where, 
as  has  been  shown  under  Perthshire,  the  woods  are  not  exten- 
sive, and  are  greatly  mixed  with  hard  wood.  Nor  did  establish- 
ment take  place  at  Pitlour  or  in  Fife  until  1871  or  1872. 

1871-2.  Established  at  Pitlour  as  above  stated,  and  in 
1873  from  eight  to  ten  were  seen  in  a  day,  and  six  were  shot 
in  a  season.  They  are  not  preserved,  but  are  thought  to  be 
increasing  in  a  wood  of  some  250  acres. 

About  the  same  time  stray  birds  appeared  at  ^N'ether 
Kinneddar,  in  the  south-west  corner  of  the  county  (37  miles 
from  O ,  these  having  probably  strayed  from  the  separately- 
introduced  stock  at  Tulliallan  centre,  in  the  detached 
part  of  Perthshire,  near  Kincardine-on-Forth,  as  mentioned 
under  the  latter  county.  They  have  never  become  fairly 
established  here ;  although  birds  remain  during  the  breeding 
season  they  do  not  stay  throughout  the  year,  but  repair  to 
larger  covers  on  West  Grange,  Tulliallan,  and  Brucefield,  the 
woods  on  Nether  Kinneddar  being,  as  yet,  too  young,  and  not 
of  great  extent — auct  W.  C.  C.  Erskine,  Esq. 

1873.  Two  birds  appeared  at  Pitfirrane,  near  Dunfermline 
(40  miles  from  Q ),  where  there  are  some  200  acres  of  old 
fir  and  mixed  wood.  At  present  they  are  seen  here  every 
spring,  but  do  not  remain.  An  attempt  was  made  to  intro- 
duce them  by  eggs  from  Taymouth,  but  an  unusually  wet 
season  (1877)  killed  the  young  birds — auct.  Mr.  Thompson, 
head  gamekeeper,  Pitfirrane. 

1874.  An  introduction,  which  eventually  proved  success- 
ful, took  place  at  Lathirsk  (37  mUes  from  O ),  near  Falkland, 
at  which  latter  place,  however,  they  are  said  to  have  appeared 
before  they  were  introduced  at  Lathirsk.  The  introduction 
was  from  Monzie,  in  Perthshire. 

1875.  In  the  spring  of  1874  or  1875  a  male  bird  was  seen 
at  Lathockar,  in  the  east  of  Fife,  supposed  to  have  wandered 


78  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

from  Falkland — the  nearest  place  to  Lathockar,  where  they 
breed,  being  20  miles  off — Lathockar  is  50  miles  from  ©  at 
Taymouth,  and  about  38  miles  from  Q  at  Tulliallan ;  but 
from  the  nature  of  the  intervening  country  it  is  improbable 
that  they  came  from  the  latter.  There  are  only  some  50  or 
60  acres  of  suitable  wood  on  Lathockar.  Possibly  also  it 
may  have  come  from  Lathirsk,  15  miles  off. 

1877.  The  Capercaillie  in  1877  appeared  at  quite  a 
number  of  localities  in  Fife,  but  from  the  insufficient  acreage 
or  unsuitable  character  of  most  of  the  covers,  I  believe  their 
attempts  at  advance  in  this  direction  cannot  be  successful  in 
the  immediate  present.  They  appeared  at  Pitreavie,  near 
Dunfermline.  Mr.  Paterson  of  Dalnaglar,  in  Perthshire, 
lessee  of  Pitreavie,  writes  that  he  saw  two  birds  there  about 
the  last  week  in  November  1877,  and  a  few  days  afterwards 
Lord  Eosebery  shot  a  female  at  Dalmeny  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Firth  of  Forth,  in  all  probability  one  of  the  same 
birds  seen  at  Pitreavie,  sTunuing  that  the  birds  will  cross  water 
if  they  can  distinguish  suitable  forest  land  on  the  other  side, 
as  I  have  already  mentioned  in  my  concluding  remarks  under 
Perthshire. 

Other  localities,  where  they  appear  for  the  first  time  in 
1877  in  Fife,  are  Auchtermuchty,  Markinch — female  seen — 
Leven — female  shot — Pitliver,  and  Scotscraig,  and  others. 

In  the  south-west  part  of  Fife,  as  plantations  increase  in 
size  and  number,  we  may  look  for  an  advance  from  the 
somewhat  isolated  and  fully-stocked  districts  of  Tulliallan, 
West  Grange,  and  Brucefield,  but  scarcely  before  then. 

Had  Glen  Eagles,  in  the  Ochils,  been  a  forest-clad  glen, 
we  might,  with  some  certainty,  have  looked  for  an  advance 
through  it  from  Perthshire. 


CHAPTER  X. 

EXTENSION  IN  KINKOSS-SHIRe/ 

There  are  no  extensive  pine  woods  in  Kinross.  Consequently, 
the  Capercaillie  is  a  rare  bird  in  the  county,  comparatively 
speaking.  The  only  locality  where  they  are  resident  in  the 
county  is  at  Cleish  Castle.  Aldie  is  really  in  Perthshire,  near 
the  Crook  of  Devon  (v.  Perthshire  under  1866).  As  there  are 
considerable  woods  upon  Aldie,  and  the  birds  are  likely  to 
increase  there  now,  Kinross  will  probably  be  supplied  with 
occasional  stragglers,  but  until  more  ground  is  planted  it  is 
not  likely  to  become  resident  in  any  numbers. 

1866.  This  is  the  earliest  date  I  have  for  their  appearance 
in  Kinross — probably  a  stray  bijd  from  Aldie.  This  was  at 
Craigow,  Milnathort,  where,  at  the  present  time,  they  only 
appear  occasionally  in  autumn  and  winter,  leaving  in  spring. 
The  woods  are  small  and  old.  Perhaps  altogether  two  pairs 
may  be  seen  in  a  season. 

A  few  birds  have  been  seen  from  time  to  time  in  the 
Knock  Wood  in  the  Ochils.  In  1873  one  was  seen  at 
Thomanean,  side  of  Loch  Leven.  It  occurs  occasionally  at 
Portmoake,  in  the  northern  and  eastern  portions  of  the 
county,  probably  coming  from  the  Perthshire  side  of  the 
Ochils  and  from  Fife.     They  have  also  been  shot  at  Touchie, 

1  My  returns  from  Kinross  are  12  in  number,  representing  all  the  im- 
portant estates  in  the  county. 


80  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Craigfarg,  and  Athronhall,  where  five  have  been  shot  from 
time  to  time. 

Beyond  the  above  there  seem  to  be  few — if  any — statistics 
forthcoming  from  Kinross,  and  Mr.  E.  Burns  Begg  says  I 
may  rest  assured  that  I  have  received  all  that  is  obtainable, 
from  Messrs.  Bethune  and  Henderson,  to  whom  I  am  in- 
debted for  almost  all  my  notes  from  this  county,  through  the 
introduction  of  David  Syme,  Esq.,  sheriff  of  Kinross. 


I 


X 


CHAPTEE  XL 

EXTENSION  IN  CLACKMANNANSHIRE. 

Although  marching  with  a  district — TulliaUan,  Brucefield, 
and  West  Grange,  in  the  south  of  Perthshire — ^thickly  popu- 
lated by  Capercaillies,  Clackmannan  cannot  claim  any  appre- 
ciable share  of  them.  There  are  few  large  woods  suitable, 
although  it  is  almost  surrounded  by  them.  Thus  only 
occasional  birds  are  seen,  and  these  rarely.  Two  female 
birds  were  shot  at  Mixed  Park  about  1875.  It  has  not 
occurred  upon  Kennet,  the  plantations  not  being  large 
enough.  Lord  Balfour  of  Burleigh,  however,  took  an  active 
part  in  introducing  them  to  Tulliallan. 

Mr.  Eobert  Gray,  in  "  Ornithological  Notes  "  in  the  '  Proc. 
Berwick  Nat.  Club'  1877,  p.  354,  mentions  them  as  found  in 
the  woods  of  this  county  "  in  considerable  numbers,"  but  this 
can  refer  only  to  the  Earl  of  Zetland's  woods. 


G 


CHAPTEK  XII.i 

EXTENSION  IN  STIRLINGSHIRE. 

Stirlingshire,  there  can  be  little  doubt,  forms  a  natural  link 
in  the  chain  which  will  in  time  lead  the  Capercaillie  into  the 
southern  counties  of  Scotland.  The  avenues  of  advance  into 
the  county  are  probably  two  in  number;  one  leading  from 
the  separate  introduction  at  TuUiallan  in  1856  and  1864 
{mde  Perthshire) ;  and  the  other,  and  perhaps  less  isolated, 
and  more  generally  adopted  route,  from  the  south  of  Perth- 
shire— from  Stirling  westwards.  The  largest  "waves  of 
distribution "  seem  to  have  pressed  through  the  narrow  pass 
near  Stirling,  rounding  the  spur  of  the  Gargunnock  hills,  and 
flooding  the  hill  slopes  and  wooded  uplands,  reaching  as  far, 
at  the  present  time  (1877),  as  Chasefield  covers,  near  Denny, 
which  are  forty  miles  from  Tajnnouth ;  or  even  farther,  as,  in 
1877,  Capercaillies  bred  for  the  first  time  at  Dougalston, 
Milngavie,  near  Glasgow  (46  miles  from  Q),  certainly  the 
farthest  south-westerly  point  at  which  we  can  record  the 
arrival  of  birds  bred  from  the  original  Taymouth  stock. 
Their  next  steps  of  advance  southward,  in  all  probability,  will 
be  to  the  extensive  woods  of  Callendar,  near  Falkirk,  and 
thence  eastward  and  southward.     As  mentioned  under  "  Out- 

1  From  Stirlingshire  I  have  32  returns,  which  must  fairly  represent  all  the 
estates  of  importance  in  the  county  which  are  suitable  for  the  safe  harbourage 
of  the  species. 


EXTENSION  IN  STIRLINGSHIRE.  83 

lying  Counties,"  p.  88,  it  will  be  seen  that  already  there  are 
indications  of  advance  in  this  eastward  direction  in  Linlith- 
gow and  Edinburgh,  though  no  doubt  stream-waves  from 
Stirlingshire  and  from  Tulliallan  centre  will  coalesce,  as 
partially  exemplified  by  the  Dalmeny  example,  shot  in  1877, 
which,  as  already  shown,  in  all  probability  came  "across  seas  " 
from  Pitreavie  {v.  Fife). 

Another  outlet  into  Stirlingshire  from  Perthshire  may  pos- 
sibly be  found  in  the  woods  of  Cardross,  at  the  side  of  the  Lake 
of  Monteith ;  but  there  is  this  against  that  line,  that  Cardross 
woods  lie  in  a  hollow,  and  at  present — except  isolated  woods 
at  Gartmore  and  Duchray  (near  Loch  Ard),  and  on  Garden, 
and  stripes  of  wood  on  Eoss  Priory,  Loch  Lomond  side — there 
is  little  to  lead  them  from  it  in  a  direction  round  the  western 
spur  of  the  central  range  of  hills  in  Stirlingshire.  It  is  per- 
haps uncertain  at  present  whence  the  birds  which  bred  at 
Milngavie  came ;  whether  by  this  route,  or  from  the  eastward 
by  Chasefield,  near  Denny ;  but  we  think  probably  from 
Cardross  direction,  as  we  find  connecting  links  in  Stirling- 
shire of  occasional  occurrences  at  Eoss  Priory,  Killearn,  and 
Culcreuch,  near  Fintry.  When  the  woods  grow  higher  upon 
Ballikinrain  estate,  near  Fintry,  another  natural  'forest 
stepping-stone'  will  be  afforded,  but  that  cannot  well  take 
place  for  a  number  of  years  yet. 

The  principal  distribution  of  wood  in  the  county  is  on 
Meiklewood,  near  StirKng,  and  westward  on  Leckie  and 
Gargunnock,  to  Boquhan,  Arngomery,  and  Garden,  along  the 
north  slope  of  the  Gargunnock  and  Fintry  hills.  There  are 
young  plantations  of  considerable  extent  upon  Ballikinrain. 
Again,  southward  from  Stirling,  is  a  range  of  wood  from 
Meiklewood,  through  Touch,  Sauchie,  Auchinbowie,  Dales- 
wood,  Torwood,  Quarter  (where  60  acres  of  wood  is  just 
34  years  planted),  and  Chasefield — all  more  or  less  occupied 
at  present  by  the  birds.  These  latter  properties  and  localities 
lie  along  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Touch  and  Denny  hills,  a 


84  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

part  of  the  great  central  mass  of  hills  which  extend  around 
the  sources  of  the  Carron  and  Endrick  rivers. 

1856.  The  earliest  record  of  the  occurrence  of  the  species 
in  this  county  was  a  bird — a  female — shot  upon  Stenhouse- 
muir,  and  for  a  long  time  afterwards  in  possession  of  Mr.  Caddell 
of  the  Grange,  Linhthgow.  Stenhousemuir  is  an  open,  flat, 
grass  common,  used  annually  for  the  great  autumn  cattle  and 
sheep  markets,  usually  known  by  the  name  of  "  The  Falkirk 
Trysts."  This  bird,  I  believe,  could  only  have  come  from 
TuUiallan,  and  must  be  looked  upon  as  a  very  exceptional 
occurrence  (compare  under  Perthshire,  1856).  The  next  nearest 
point  was  the  Doune  district  in  Perth,  but  there  the  birds 
only  appeared  for  the  first  time  this  same  year. 

1863.  In  1863,  birds  bred  at  Dunmore,  which  is  only 
separated  from  Tulliallan  by  a  narrow  part  of  the  river  Forth. 
The  Dunmore  and  Airth  woods  are  not  extensive,  otherwise 
we  might  certainly  have  expected  a  larger  irruption  from 
Tulliallan  by  this  channel.  These  eggs,  however,  were  not 
hatched  out.     [Vide  '  ZooV  1867,  p.  897.] 

1866.  First  observed  at  Garden,  and  bred  there  in  the 
"  Kippen  Firs  " — a  wood  close  to  Loch  Laggan  (35  miles  from 
O).  These  birds  probably  came  across  the  valley  of  the 
Forth,  direct  from  the  Doune  district,  from  the  wooded  estates 
of  Lanrick,  Blair-Drummond,  and  Gartencaber.  The  Kippen 
Firs  and  neighbouring  woods  of  Arngomery  would  be  visible 
to  the  birds  from  Doune. 

1867.  Appeared  simultaneously  on  Torwood  Estate  and 
on  Denovan,  near  Larbert  and  Denny  (both  about  38  miles 
from  O  ).  On  these  estates  together,  and  on  Quarter — also 
adjoining — there  is  a  considerable  acreage  of  suitable  wood, 
and  they  have  become  firmly  established. 

In  1867-68  a  female  was  shot  at  Eoss  Priory  by  Sir  George 
Leith-Buchanan,  Bart.,  who  did  not  again  meet  with  a  bird 
there  until  1877-78  (31st  December  1877),  when  he  again  shot 
a  female  bird. 


EXTENSION  IN  STIRLINGSHIRE.  85 

In  1868  Capercaillies  bred  in  Torwood  for  the  first  time. 
"  Three  or  four  birds  are  seen  frequently  by  the  keeper,  and  it 
may  be  considered  as  established,  as  protection  is  afforded  to 
these  birds,  and  Torwood  is  in  every  way  suitable  for  their 
increase.  There  can  be  little  doubt  they  will  increase,  though 
perhaps  by  degrees  and  slowly."  ['  Extract  from  old  Note  Book 
on  Birds  of  Stirlingshire;  1868.— J.  A.  H.  B.] 

1869.  On  Arngomery,  close  to  Garden,  the  first — a  female 
— was  shot  also  in  the  "  Firs  of  Kippen  "  before  mentioned. 

1870.  First  observed  on  Sauchie  property,  near  Stirling, 
and  became  established  (35  miles  from  © ),  probably  from  the 
Stirling  direction,  but  also  quite  possibly  from  Tulliallan,  as 
birdSk  might  be  led  there  through  the  woods  of  Dunmore, 
Polmaise,  and  Camock,  in  the  Carse  of  Stirling.  Now  (1877) 
there  are  about  40  or  50  birds  on  Sauchie.  The  first  birds 
seen  were  two  females  and  one  male,  and  the  two  hens  had 
nests  close  to  the  avenue,  and  within  100  yards  of  the  house. 

Became  established  at  Torwood,  coming  doubtless  from 
Sauchie  or  from  Tulliallan  direct,  or  through  Sauchie  from  the 
Stirling  direction.^ 

A  female  was  seen  several  times  on  Dunipace  by  myself, 
and  was  afterwards  shot  on  Denovan  (38  miles  from  Q ). 

1871.  The  first  seen  at  Boquhan — a  female.  Then  no  more 
tin  1875,  when  a  hen  and  brood  (35  miles  from  © ).  Either 
come  from  Garden,  marching  with  it,  or  direct  from  Lanrick. 
Amount  of  wood  limited.  I  have  shot  over  both  Boquhan 
and  Garden,  and  do  not  think  the  birds  are  ever  likely  to 
become  numerous. 

A  female  not  unfrequently  seen  on  Larbert  House  grounds 
in  the  autumn,  marching  on  the  east  with  Dunipace ;  but  the 
acreage  of  wood  is  Hmited,  though  possibly  large  enough  to 
hold  a  few  birds  if  not  much  disturbed.  There  is  more  of 
spruce  than  pine  in  the  covers. 

^  In  April  I  myself  saw  a  female  in  Torwood.     {^  Note  Book,'  1870-71.) 


86  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

1874.  One  stray  bird  was  shot  at  Kowardennan,  on  Loch 
Lomond,  about  this  date. 

One — a  female — was  shot  at  Quarter,  near  Denny,  in  the 
summer,  and  another  in  October  of  the  same  year.  It  is  now 
established  here  in  a  wood  of  60  acres  of  spruce,  larch,  and 
Scotch  fir,  which  is  just  34  years  old.  Birds  here  probably 
arrived  from  Torwood  on  the  east,  or  from  Auchenbowie  and 
Sauchie  on  the  north.  Auchenbowie  held  birds  at  this  time, 
though  they  did  not  become  resident  till  the  year  after-^ 
1875. 

1875.  Birds  became  established  "  not  prior  to  1875,"  on 
Duchray,  near  Loch  Ard,  just  on  the  border  of  Perth  and 
Stirling,  and  33  miles  from  Q .  These  birds  no  doubt  came 
from  Cardross,  through  Gartmore  (where,  however,  they  are 
only  as  yet  occasional).  There  are  about  200  to  300  acres  of 
suitable  wood  on  Duchray  and  adjoining  property,  of  which 
100  to  150  are  on  Duchray.^ 

Occasionally  seen  on  Carbrook,  near  Larbert,  marching  with 
Torwood ;  but  the  covers  are  mixed,  and  not  quite  suitable. 

Occasional  on  Chasefield,  when  only  hens  were  seen  in 
this  year  and  in  1876  (40  miles  from  Q ). 

Became  resident  on  Auchenbowie,  marching  on  the  north 
with  Sauchie. 

Bred  for  the  first  time  at  Boquhan,  In  1876  eight  birds 
were  seen,  but  the  keeper  at  Arngomery  shot  four  or  five  hens, 
and  they  did  not  breed  in  1877. 

1876.  Two  hens  seen  on  Drum  farm.  Earl's  Burn,  up  the 
Carron  valley  above  Denny,  in  an  isolated  patch  of  firs  in  the 
midst  of  moorland  (37  miles  from  Q ).  These  birds,  no  doubt, 
came  from  Quarter  woods,  being  attracted  by  the  view  of  old 
Scotch  fir  on  the  horizon  at  Sheppytroutie,  whence  again  they 
could  see  the  younger  plantations  on  the  hill  slopes  at  the 

1  The  lessee  of  the  Duchray  shootings  has  never  himself  seen  any  Caper- 
caillies  on  the  ground. 


EXTENSION  IN  STIRLINGSHIRE.  87 

Earl's  Burn.     There  is  not  sufficiency  of  cover  here  to  hold 
them  permanently. 

1877.  Nine  birds  have  been  seen  in  all  on  Airthrey,  but 
none  remain  from  March  to  August. 

1877.  Males  first  seen  in  Chasefield  (40  miles  from  Q  ). 
1877-78.  Occasional  on  Gartmore  within  the  last  few  years 

(34  miles  from  © ). 

A  male  seen  at  Carbeth,nearKiUearn,  about  13th  November 
1877,  and  continued  about  till  January  1878  (40  miles 
from  O ). 

Bred  at  Dougalston,  Milngavie  (46  miles  from  Q ). 

Eesident  at  Quarter  (37  miles  from© ).  Wood  34  years 
old. 

Five  seen  at  Bridge  of  Allan,  4th  January  1878  (28  miles 
from  O  )• 

Only  occasional  stiU  at  Dunmore  (35  miles  from  © ). 

Stray  birds  appeared  on  Carbrook,  which,  however,  marches 
with  Torwood,  whence,  doubtless,  they  came.  As  both  sexes 
have  been  seen,  sporadical  or  possibly  permanent  residence 
may  here  take  place ;  but  the  woods  are  not  extensive,  nor 
very  suitable. 

In  May  1878  I  again  saw  a  female  on  Dunipace,  flushing  it 
from  the  ground,  amongst  blackberry  bushes,  in  oak  coppice- 
wood. 

1878.  A  bird  was  killed  upon  Callendar  estates  about  the 
middle  of  November  this  year,  the  first  seen.  As  already 
noted,  it  would  probably  come  from  either  the  Chasefield 
coverts  or  from  Torwood. 

We  may  expect  their  establishment  here  shortly.  Woods 
extensive  and  suitable. 

At  Buchanan,  near  Loch  Lomond,  a  pair  bred  (auct.  J. 
Lumsden,  Jlde  Sir  George  Leith-Buchanan,  Bart.) 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

EXTENSION  IN  OUTLYING  COUNTIES. 

LINLITHGOW. 

Linlithgow,  marching  with  Stirlingshire,  will,  in  course  of 
time,  probably  receive  its  supplies  from  the  latter  county, 
through  Callendar  woods,  near  Falkirk,  where  the  species 
has  as  yet  only  once  been  met  with  (1878),  although  these 
extensive  woods,  and  others  on  Bonnymuir,  are  within  sight 
of  Chasefield  and  Torwood  covers.  It  is  also  a  possible 
line  of  advance,  which  has  already  been  indicated  by  the 
advent  of  the  female  bird  shot  at  Dalmeny  Park,  near 
Queensferry  (48  miles  from  © ),  by  Lord  Eosebery ;  which 
bird  was  no  doubt  one  of  the  two  seen  a  few  days  before 
by  Mr.  Paterson  at  Pitreavie,  near  Dunfermline.-^  But  this 
line  of  approach  is  less  likely,  as  it  will  be  dependent 
upon  the  stocking  of  the  woods  of  Pitreavie  and  Pitfirrane, 
on  both  of  which  estates  the  wood  is  rather  old,  or  of  too 
mixed  a  character,  to  afford  good  harbourage  or  make  an 
increase  likely.  The  advance  of  the  Capercaillie  from  this 
direction  will  probably  be  dependent  upon  planting  on  the 
Fife  side  of  the  Firth. 

1  Since  this  was  written  I  have  been  informed  by  tlie  keeper  at  Dalmeny 
Park  that  another  female  bird  had  been  seen  at  Dalmeny  about  six  years  before, 
say  1871  ;  and  another  has  been  seen  on  Craigie  Hall  since  Lord  Rosebery 
shot  the  above. 


EXTENSION  IN  OUTLYING  COUNTIES.  89 

In  the  account  of  the  Capercaillie  prior  to  extinction,  I 
have  abeady  noticed  the  birds  shot  by  Captain  Stanton  near 
Bo'ness  in  1811. 

In  1872  a  male  was  seen  by  Captain  Maynard  in  Kettle- 
stone  plantations  (44  miles  from  © ,  and  5  miles  from  TuUi- 
allan,  across  sea). 

MID-LOTHIAN. 

1876.  One  bird  was  distinctly  identified  in  Mansion  House 
Eoad,  at  the  Grange,  on  the  outskirts  of  Edinburgh,  in  May 

1876.  The  bird — a  female — flew  past  the  gentleman  who  iden- 
tified it  within  20  yards.  It  came  from  the  south,  and  flew 
away  due  north,  heading  across  the  Meadows,  directly  for  the 
space  between  St.  Giles  and  the  Tron  Church  towers.  Pos- 
sibly this  might  be  the  bird  shot  at  Dahneny  in  November 

1877,  but  I  doubt  if  it  would  have  remained  there  so  long 
without  being  detected.  My  idea  is  that,  wherever  it  came 
from,  it  headed  for  the  church  spires,  mistaking  them  at  the 
distance  for  tops  of  pine  trees  on  the  horizon.  Edinburgh  is 
54  miles  from  Taymouth  O ,  and  18  miles  in  a  direct  line  from 
TulliaUan  © .  It  is  rather  a  curious  instance  of  the  extreme 
wandering  propensities  of  the  species.  It  is  reported  as  hav- 
ing come  from  the  south.  I  have  no  statistics  from  any  loca- 
lities to  the  south  of  Edinburgh  to  make  me  suppose  that  its 
origin  was  there.  It  must  have  been,  I  fancy,  a  truly  wandered 
bird,  like  the  earlier  records  in  Fife  and  Stirlingshire. 

DUMBARTON. 

Birds  have  once  or  twice  been  shot  in  the  Loch  Lomond 
district,  probably  strayed  birds  from  the  direction  of  Cardross. 
They  have  been  obtained  at  Eoss  Priory  by  Sir  George  Leith- 
Buchanan,  Bart,  (see  under  Stirlingshire),  and  on  the  islands 
of  Loch  Lomond  (*  Froc.  Nat  Hist.  Soc.,'  Glasgow,  vol.  iii.  p. 
68) ;  also  in  Stirlingshire. 


90  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

The  only  one  ever  heard  of  actually  within  the  confines  of 
the  county,  was  flushed  at  Kearnine  (?)  Wood,  at  the  higher 
end  of  Loch  Lomond — as  Mr.  John  Colquhoun  informs  me — 
but  he  adds  that  he  is  rather  sceptical  about  it.  Mr.  John 
Colquhoun  offered  to  introduce  them  on  Eossdhu  estate,  but 
his  brother — the  late  Sir  James  Colquhoun,  Bart. — did  not 
wish  to  encourage  them,  as  he  considered  that  they  give  little 
sport,  and  are  overbearing  to  all  other  game  within  their  reach. 
If  this  record  is  correct — and  I  must  say  I  see  no  reason  why 
it  should  not — the  bird  probably  found  its  way  from  that 
point  on  the  west  slope  of  Ben  Laoigh,  whence  they  found 
their  way  also  into  Argyleshire,  at  Ardkinglass  {q.  v.)  Either 
route  is  open  to  pioneer  birds  from  the  said  shoulder  of  Ben 
Laoigh,  though  that  towards  Glen  Fyne  to  Ardkinglass,  may, 
prove — and  apparently  has  proved — the  more  enticing  of 
the  two,  as  will  be  seen  under  Argyleshire. 

ARGYLESHIRE. 

Of  its  former  occurrence  in  the  county  we  have  the  some- 
what vague  record  in  the  '  New  Statistical  Account '  of  Ard- 
chattan,  where  it  is  said,  "  Nor  have  we  reason  to  doubt  that 
the  stately  Capercaillie  once  rejoiced  amongst  the  fir  woods  of 
Glen  Etive  (op.  cit.  p.  481). 

Besides  the  above,  we  have  indications  of  its  having  lin- 
gered in  this  part  of  Scotland  perhaps  as  long  as  anywhere  else, 
as  we  find  the  name — in  the  form  of  Capull-coille  ^ — in  old 
Gaelic  songs  (see  Part  II.  antea,  pp.  3,  27). 

Eggs  were  sent  to  the  Black  Mount,  by  Mr.  James  Guthrie, 
at  Lord  Breadalbane's  request,  but  none  were  hatched  out.  I 
am  informed,  however,  that  a  bii*d  was  seen  there  about  1867 
or  1868. 

^  This  is  the  name  handed  down,  and  still  used  in  Lochaber  and  adjoining 
parts  of  Argyleshire,  districts  which — with  Badenoch,  AthoU,  Breadalbane, 
and  Upper  Braemar — have  retained  in  greatest  purity  the  Gaelic  topography 
of  Scotland,  as  we  are  informed  by  Kobertson  in  his  work  before  quoted. 


EXTENSION  IN  OUTLYING  COUNTIES.  9 1 

In  1870  two  males  seem  to  have  done  a  good  deal  of  pros- 
pecting in  Argyleshire  and  adjoining  parts  of  Inverness, 
having  been  first  heard  of  and  seen  in  Ardgour  (about  46  miles 
from  O ),  at  CaUaob,  on  Loch  Leven,  and  a  few  days  after- 
wards at  Camus-na-gaul,  opposite  Fort  WiUiam.  They  were 
then  seen — always  supposing  them  to  be  the  same  birds,  and 
we  cannot  fix  a  limit  to  the  distances  to  which  males  will 
wander  in  search  of  mates — in  Glengarry  (Inverness-shire, 
3'.  V.)  The  Eev.  A.  Stewart,  Nether-Lochaber,  considers  that 
these  birds  probably  entered  Glengarry  and  Loch  Ness  by 
Kingussie,  Loch  Laggan,  and  the  valley  of  the'  Spean,  but  I 
have  failed  to  discover  the  localities  whence  they  could  have 
come  by  this  route. 

The  Eev.  A.  Stewart  (who  has  written  many  excellent 
articles  to  the  '  Inverness  Courier '  under  the  '  nom  de  plume ' 
of  "  Nether-Lochaber,")  proposes  to  suggest  to  "  Lochiel "  the 
propriety  of  introducing  a  pair  or  two  to  the  woods  of  Loch 
Arkaig  side,  near  his  residence — Achnacary  Castle. 

In  1875  birds  arrived  of  their  own  accord  at  Ardkinglass, 
and  are  supposed  to  have  come  direct  from  Breadalbane,  doubt- 
less through  Glenfyne,  having  forced  their  way  up  Glen 
Dochart,  and  overflowed  from  the  internal  great  pressure  at 
Taymouth  (see  general  remarks  under  Glen  Dochart  further 
on,  p.  109).  At  Ardkinglass  there  are  about  550  acres  of 
suitable  woods,  and  the  birds  are  preserved  and  increasing. 
As  many  as  twelve  were  seen  one  day  this  year  (1878).  A 
hybrid,  killed  in  October  1878  at  Ardkinglass,  was  forwarded 
to  Mr.  Eobert  Small,  Edinburgh,  for  preservation.  It  was 
killed  by  the  keeper,  and  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
Brodie,  Edinburgh,  who  leased  Ardkinglass  shootings.  No 
difference  is  observable  here  in  the  numbers  of  black  game, 
which  are  fairly  abundant.  This  is  an  interesting  example  of 
the  great  pressure  at  a  centre  forcing  birds  over  a  bare  and 
unfavourable  country  (see  general  remarks  ut  sujj.,  and  under 
Kincardineshire,  ivfra,  p.  95). 


92  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

It  is  considered  by  a  correspondent  who  is  personally 
acquainted  with  the  lie  of  the  valleys  between  Crianlarich, 
Tyndrum,  and  Loch  Fyne,  that  the  probable  route  taken  by 
the  birds  was  from  Tyndrum,  skirting  the  northern  base  of 
Ben  Laoigh,  where  there  are  some  fragments  of  old  (indi- 
genous ?)  Scotch  fir,  and  then,  on  rounding  the  western  base, 
a  point  is  reached  which  looks  down  on  Loch  Fyne,  and  also 
through  the  Quurn — or  Cairn — Pass  into  Glenfalloch.  But  the 
distance  from  the  straggling  old  Scotch  firs  on  Ben  Laoigh  to 
Loch  Fyne  is  only  between  three  and  four  miles,  and  this  latter 
would  be  the  country  which  would  first  present  itself  to  the 
gaze  of  the  pioneer  birds.  I  am  also  informed  by  another 
correspondent — W.  Colquhoun,  Esq. — ^that  his  brother  thinks 
that  there  are  no  woods  which  would  lead  them  from  the  old 
fir  wood  near  Grianlarich  by  the  Bhalloch  into  Glenfalloch, 
and  thence  by  the  latter  and  across  into  Glenfyne,  so  I  think 
the  route  already  indicated  will  prove  to  be  the  most  likely. 
By  this  route  also  the  bird  reported  at  the  head  of  Loch 
Lomond  {v.  Dumbarton,  1878)  would  probably  arrive. 

About  1876-77  they  made  their  appearance  at  Inveraray. 
Two  or  three  cocks  and  one  hen  were  the  first  birds  to  arrive. 
The  hen  killed  herseK  on  the  deer-park  fence  in  April  1877. 
1^0  more  hens  have  made  their  appearance.  The  most  seen 
in  one  day  were  four  cocks  together,  but  there  are  a  good  few 
hybrids ;  one  of  these  latter  was  killed  lately  by  flying  against 
the  telegraph  wires.  "Last  season  I  got  eggs  from  Arran, 
and  put  them  into  grey  hens'  nests,  and  they  hatched,  but  I 
am  sorry  to  say  I  have  never  seen  any  of  the  birds.  If  all  is 
well  I  shall  try  the  same  next  year.  The  woods  here  are 
quite  adapted  to  the  bird's  habits ;  and  are  four  miles  long  by 
an  average  width  of  half  a  mile.  The  Duke  is  very  anxious 
to  get  a  few  more.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  they  came 
here  from  Taymouth,  but  whether  from  Loch  Awe  side  or  by 
Glen  Fyne  will  be  difiBicult  to  say.    Ardkinglass  is  qnly  five 


EXTENSION  TN  OUTLYING  COUNTIES.  93 

miles  as  the  crow  flies  from  here.  They  could  have  crossed 
the  head  of  Loch  Fyne,  which  is  only  about  half  a  mile  wide 
at  Ardkinglass,  and  thus  they  would  have  trees  aU  the  way 
down  to  Inveraray."  For  the  above  useful  notes  I  am  indebted 
to  Mr.  J.  Thompson,  head  keeper,  Inveraray.  I  think  there 
can  be  little  doubt  about  the  route  by  which  they  have  arrived 
— ^viz.,  by  the  Ardkinglass  and  Glen  Fyne  route  from  Glen 
Dochart. 

This  overflow  from  Glen  Dochart  is  made  all  the  more 
worthy  of  attention  by  the  apparent  preponderance  of  males. 
The  hybrid  killed  by  flying  against  the  telegraph  wires — 
above-mentioned — ^is  a  male,  indicating  the  more  unusual,  in 
my  opinion,  maZe  parentage  of  Tetrao  urugalliis  male,  and  Tetrao 
tetrix  female.  This  goes  far  to  prove  the  extreme  wandering 
propensities  of  males,  and  to  account  for  even  more  curious 
records  than  those  at  Fort- William  in  1807,  and  at  Bo'ness 
(v.  Part  II.  p.  26),  not  to  speak  of  the  prospecting  party  of 
males  which  travelled  over  so  much  groimd  in  Ardgour  and 
Glengarry. 

INVERNESS. 

In  Hartings'  '  Sale  Oatalogiie '  of  his  collection  of  eggs 
(Stevens',  6th  June  1872,  p.  20)  occurs  the  entry  "  Capercaillie 
— Tetrao  urugallus — two  ;  Guisachan,  Inverness,  May  1868. 
E.  Hargitt."  They  were  introduced  about  that  time,  young 
birds  having  been  presented  to  Sir  Dudley  Marjoribanks  by 
Mr.  Mercer  of  Gorthy,  near  Methven,  Perth ;  and  the  year 
previous,  eggs  were  sent  from  Perthshire  to  Guisachan.  I 
learn  from  one  correspondent  that  all  the  birds  at  Guisachan 
have  died  off. 

In  1873  birds  were  introduced  at  Invereshie,  Inverness- 
shire,  but  were  never  fairly  established.  A  cock  was  shot  in 
1875,and  at  present — 1878 — only  one  hen  is  to  be  seen.  There 
is  abundance  of  suitable  cover,  extending  four  miles  in  one 


94  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

direction,  and  half  a  mile  broad ;  and  the  present  keeper  has 
instructions  to  introduce  them  again  next  year — 1879 — by- 
birds. 

Former  occurrence  of  the  species  in  this  county  is  men- 
tioned under  previous  heads  (antea^  pp.  16,  20,  26). 

ABERDEEN. 

For  an  account  of  an  unsuccessful  attempt,  at  introduction 
at  Mar  Lodge,  see  antea,  pp.  37-42.  The  Capercaillie  is  not 
spoken  of  in  MacGillivray's  '  List  of  the  Birds  of  Deeside  and 
Braemar;  (1853.) 

For  notice  of  its  former  occurrence  on  the  "  Brea  of  Marr," 
see  under  previous  heading,  p.  18. 

In  1873  eggs  were  hatched  out  at  Inverernan,  Strathdon ; 
but  some  of  the  birds  eventually  found  their  destination  in  the 
Museum  of  the  Marischal  College  of  Aberdeen,  having  been 
sent  to  Mr.  Eobb,  the  curator,  for  preservation. 

Any  other  statistics  I  hold  from  this  county  are  strongly 
negative.  I  have  elsewhere  pointed  out  what  I  believe  to  be 
the  most  natural  avenue  into  Aberdeenshire,  but  it  is  also 
possible  that  another  route  may  be  chosen  by  the  birds,  viz.,  by 
Glen  Tilt  from  Blair  Athole ;  but  at  this  point  there  are  some 
10  miles  of  unsuitable  country  intervening,  and  I  rather  incline 
to  the  route  by  Kincardineshire  {q.  v.) 


CHAPTEK   XIV. 

EXTENSION  IN  KINCARDINESHIRE. 

At  present  the  only  record  I  have  of  its  occurrence  in  the 
county  is  that  of  a  hybrid,  which  was  shot  at  Fetteresso  on 
26th  October  1872  ('  Scot  Nat!  1873-74,  vol.  ii.  p.  57 ;  and 
Mr.  George  Sim,  in  lit)  It  is  not  easy  to  decide  the  source 
of  this  hybrid,  or  whence  came  the  Capercaillie  which  pro- 
duced it.  As  far  as  I  can  learn  at  present,  Stracathro  is  the 
locality  nearest  to  Kincardineshire  where  Capercaillies  are 
found  (see  Forfarshire,  antea,  p.  73). 

Since  the  above  remarks  under  Kincardine  and  Aberdeen 
were  penned,  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  record  that  birds  have 
occurred  on  Deeside,  at  the  very  spot  where  I  anticipated  they 
would  first  make  their  appearance. 

In  August  1878  three  Capercaillies — one  old  hen  and  two 
young — male  and  female — were  shot  in  the  pine  woods  on 
Scoltie  Hni,  near  Banchory,  and  not  far  from  the  junction  of 
the  river  Feugh — half  of  the  waters  of  which  come  down  the 
wooded  strath  of  Glen  Dye — with  the  river  Dee.  Mr.  Charles 
Danford,  who  sends  me  the  information,  adds  :  "  This  is  the 
first  time  I  have  heard  of  them  in  this  district ; "  and  I  have 
a  negative  return  from  the  estates  of  Durris,  lower  down  the 
Dee,  in  which  my  correspondent — Mr.  C.  M'Hardy,  forester 
at  Durris — states  :  "  We  have  none  of  them  in  the  north  that 
I  am  aware  of.  .  .  .  I  am  aware  of  their  having  been  tried  in 


96  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Strath  Don,  where  I  lived  previous  to  coming  here,  but  the 
attempt  failed." 

I  am  particular  in  my  record  of  this  occurrence,  because  I 
am  inclined  to  look  upon  it  as  the  commencement  of  a  new 
era  in  the  history  of  the  Capercaillie  in  Scotland,  their  future 
line  of  advance,  probably  rushing  up  the  great  wooded  valley 
of  the  Dee  as  far  as  the  pine  woods  reach — i.e.  almost  to  the 
base  of  the  Ben  Muich-Dhu,  and  thence — if  we  pursue  them 
farther — surmounting  the  confines  of  the  valley,  northward 
into  Strath  Don  and  the  north  of  Aberdeen,  into  Banff  and 
Inverness.  I  could  even  now  point  out  the  probable  avenues 
of  advance  out  of  Aberdeenshire,  but  it  would  be,  perhaps,  pre- 
mature to  do  so  until  we  see  with  what  success  they  populate 
the  Dee  valley. 

I  am  particular  in  recording  this  occurrence  for  another 
reason  also.  I  have  failed  to  obtain  evidence  of  the  presence 
of  the  bird  in  any  other  localities  in  the  county  besides  those 
mentioned,  and  I  have  received  several  negative  returns,  along 
with  the  general  statement  in  most  cases,  that  it  appears  to  be 
almost  unknown  in  the  county.  This  is  curious,  seeing  that, 
since  the  year  1865,  they  have  been  present  at  Stracathro,  just 
on  the  borders  of  Forfar  and  Kincardine.  Thus,  a  distance  of 
some  18  or  20  miles  as  the  crow  flies,  has  been  bridged  over 
(although  at  intermediate  localities  there  is  abundance  of  forest 
growth  to  act  as  stepping-stones),  and  a  watershed  has  been 
crossed.  This  finds  a  parallel  in  the  overflow  from  Glen 
Dochart  into  Argyleshire  {q.  v.),  but  it  is  difficult  to  say  which 
instance  is  the  more  remarkable. 

In  August  or  September  1878,  one  bird  was  shot  near 
Inchmarlo  House,  the  only  one  ever  seen  there.  The  woods 
are  continuous  and  extensive  between  Banchory  and  Inch- 
marlo, and  the  whole  parish  of  Banchory  Ternan  is  almost 
entirely  covered  with  pine  woods,  in  every  way  suitable  to 
the  successful  restoration  of  the  birds  to  Deeside. 


EXTENSION  IN  KINCARDINESHIRE.  97 

In  1878.  The  first  has  also  been  killed  upon  Fasque 
estate,  the  property  of  Sir  Thomas  Gladstone,  Bart.  This 
forms  deforest  stepping-stoTie  to  the  advance  into  Deeside. 

In  1878  another  has  been  shot  at  Fetteresso,  and  it  has 
also  been  lately  found  on  Inglismaldie.  The  dilatory  advance 
in  this  direction  is  most  remarkable  when  it  is  remembered 
that  the  country  is  well  wooded  on  both  sides  of  the  water- 
shed. 


CHAPTEE    XY. 

EXTENSION  IN  EOSS,   ELGIN,  AND   COUNTIES   OF 
THE   MORAY   FIRTH. 

There  is  a  vague  idea  that  they  existed  about  100  years 
ago  in  Eoss-shire,  but  I  can  obtain  no  satisfactory  statistics. 

I  am  not  aware  that  any  attempts  at  introduction  have 
been  made  in  Eoss-shire,  but  Captain  Dunbar  Brander,  of 
Pitgaveny,  has  informed  the  Eev.  George  Gordon  that  Lord 
Fyffe  had  obtained  eggs  of  the  Capercaillie  for  Lochnabo — a 
wood  between  Elgin  and  Fochabers — this  last  summer  (1878), 
but  the  results  he  had  not  learned. 


CHAPTEK  XVI. 

EXTENSION  IN   SUTHEKLANDSHIRE. 

For  the  following  account  of  the  attempt  at  introduction 
in  Sutherland  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Thomas  Mackenzie, 
sheriff-substitute,  Sutherland.  "  It  may  interest  you  to  know 
the  result  of  an  attempt  made  in  1870  by  Mr.  Chimside 
of  Skibo  to  introduce  Capercailzies  into  Sutherland.  A 
setting  of  ten  eggs  was  obtained,  I  think,  from  Perthshire, 
and  these  were  all  hatched  out  at  Skibo.  Five  of  the 
young  birds  were  handed  over  to  the  care  of  the  game- 
keeper of  Mr.  Gilchrist,  of  Ospisdale,  the  adjoining  property, 
but  all  of  these  died  within  three  weeks.  Of  the  five  left 
at  Skibo,  three  arrived  at  maturity,  when,  unfortunately, 
a  weasel  attacked  and  killed  one  of  them,  and  during  the 
hubbub  and  confusion  occasioned  by  this,  the  cock  bird 
would  appear  to  have  flown  into  the  kennel  of  dogs,  where 
it  was  destroyed,  for  the  feathers  were  afterwards  found 
there.  The  remaining  bird,  a  hen,  frequented  the  woods 
about  Skibo  Castle  for  two  years  after  this,  and  was  last 
seen  in  the  garden  in  July  1872,  after  which  it  finally 
disappeared.  What  its  ultimate  fate  was  I  cannot  learn  with 
certainty,  but  there  are  no  Capercailzies  at  present  on  either 
of  the  properties  of  Skibo  or  Ospisdale." 

Mr.  Mackenzie  further  remarks — "  For  an  experiment  on 
so  small  a  scale   the  result  was  not  unpromising,  and  the 


100  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

survival  of  a  single  bird  for  upwards  of  two  years,  would 
point  to  the  general  suitableness  of  the  locality,  and  to  the 
prospect  of  a  renewed  attempt  being  attended  with  better 
success.  The  great  mortality  which  occurred  immediately 
after  hatching  was  owing,  I  fear,  to  the  eggs  having  been  set 
under  such  an  ignorant  foster  mother  as  the  common  barn- 
door hen,  and  I  would  suggest  that,  as  a  remedy,  the  experi- 
ment might  be  tried  of  placing  three  or  four  eggs  in  the  nest 
of  the  wild  grey  hen,  to  which  species  the  Capercailzie  is  so 
closely  allied,  and  leaving  her  to  bring  up  the  young  birds. 
From  what  I  can  learn,  there  is  no  antipathy  between  the  two 
species."  Mr.  Mackenzie  further  informs  me  that  there  are 
some  1800  acres  of  suitable  wood,  principally  fir,  upon  the 
Skibo  and  Ospisdale  estates. 

Of  its  former  occurrence  in  this  county  I  have  already 
spoken  (vide  pp.  19,  29). 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

EXTENSION  IN  SOUTH   OF   SCOTLAND. 

AYRSHIRE. 

An  attempt  to  introduce  the  CapercaiUie  into  Ayrshire  was 
made  in  1841  or  1842,  both  by  birds  and  eggs,  at  the  aviary 
at  Glenapp,  belonging  to  Lord  Orkney.  All  the  eggs  were 
hatched  out,  and  in  1843,  in  September,  nine  healthy  birds 
were  seen  there  by  the  author  of  '  The  Birds  of  Ireland '  {q.  v.. 
vol.  ii.  p.  33).  But  by  the  year  1848  they  again  became  extinct, 
in  which  year  the  last  of  these  introduced  birds  was  found 
dead  in  the  open  on  the  farm  of  Downan.  The  birds  and  eggs 
brought  to  Glenapp  came  from  Taymouth.  The  plantations 
on  Glenapp  were  at  that  time  too  small  and  too  scattered 
to  keep  them,  and  the  birds  either  wandered  and  were  shot 
down,  or  died,  succumbing  to  the  adverse  conditions  around 
them.  It  is  thought  that,  now  the  plantations  have  increased 
and  grown  to  a  suitable  size,  if  another  introduction  were 
attempted  it  would  prove  more  successful. 

Lord  Ailsa's  gamekeeper  at  Culzean,  obtained  eggs  from 
Arran,  and  got  some  of  them  hatched  out,  but  none  of  the 
birds  came  to  maturity. 

A  bird  was  reported  to  have  been  killed  on  the  12th 
August  1877,  at  Old  Cumnock,  by  Captain  E.  M.  Campbell, 
but  I  have  failed  to  obtain  proper  authentication  of  the  fact ; 
indeed,  he  himself  cannot  corroborate  it. 


102  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

GALLOWAY  AND  WIGTON. 

In  1869,  at  Newton  Stewart,  a  female  bird  was  shot 
'  Scot.  Nat.;  voL  i.  p.  44).  Probably  a  strayed  bird  from  the 
Glenapp  introduction  in  Ayrshire,  or  the  Sanquhar  intro- 
duction in  Dumfries.  (See  also  K.  Gray — "  On  the  present 
distribution  of  the  Capercaillie  in  Scotland ;"  '  Proc.  Nat.  Hist. 
Soc.;  Glasgow,  vol.  ii.  p.  10 ;  read  December  28,  1869.) 

LANARK. 

In  1868  a  fine  male  was  shot  by  Henry  Lees,  Esq.,  at 
Auchengray,  near  Airdrie.  Probably  wandered  from  some 
locality  where  attempts' at  introduction  had  been  made.  ( Vide 
E.  Gray,  op.  cit.) 

KIRCUDBRIGHT. 

1869.  In  November  1869  a  female  was  killed  at  Auchen- 
cairn.  Probably  a  strayed  bird  from  Glenapp  or  Sanquhar 
{;  Scot.  Nat;  Yo\.i.^.^). 

DUMFRIES. 

Mr.  Lindsay,  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch's  gamekeeper  at 
Sanquhar,  tried  to  introduce  them,  but  failed.  {Auct  E. 
Gray,  op.  cit) 


CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

ARRAN. 

We  now  come  to  Arran,  the  centre  of  a  separate  introduction. 
Its  isolated  position,  the  fact  of  its  being  formerly  frequented 
by  the  species  prior  to  its  extinction  in  Scotland,  and  of  the 
successful  re-introduction  and  self-stocking,  gives  it  a  right 
to  be  considered  apart  from  the  other  centres  of  introduction 
on  the  mainland. 

It  is  doubtful,  I  think,  if  any  localities  on  the  mainland 
can  come  to  be  populated  naturally  by  Arran  birds,  i.e.,  from 
a  natural  outward  pressure  of  population,  so  that,  though  a 
centre,  it  cannot  be  expected  to  exert  an  impulse  of  similar 
extent  to  what  Taymouth  has  done. 

The  Capercaillie  formerly  abounded  in  Arran,  as  we  are 
informed  by  the  Eev.  J.  Headrick  ('  View  of  Arran'  1807), 
but  had  apparently  become  extinct  at  the  time  he  wrote. 
It  was  re -introduced  in  1843,  and  for  some  time  the 
birds  were  kept  in  an  enclosure  near  Brodick  Castle.  It 
became  common,  and  spread  to  the  limits  of  the  fir  planta- 
tions, while  an  odd  bird  occasionally  wandered  as  far  as 
Lamlash,  by  1870.  It  became  still  more  abundant  in  1872 
(R  Gray, '  The  Birds  of  Arran,'  Glasgow,  1872),  "when  thirty 
to  forty  birds  might  be  seen  in  a  day's  walk,  and  twenty  nests 
be  found  in  a  season." 

Mr.  CroU  was  head  keeper  at  the  time  of  their  introduc- 


104  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

tion  at  Brodick,  and  had  charge  of  them.  Mr.  George  Croll, 
his  son,  has  supplied  me  with  the  following  account  of  the 
introduction : — "  The  first  introduction  came  from  Taymouth 
Castle  in  1843.  The  birds  numbered  six  hens  and  one  cock. 
The  second  introduction  came  from  Sweden  to  London  in 
1846,  and  I  went  there  (London)  to  receive  them,  and  brought 
thep  to  Arran.  The  number  of  birds,  eight  hens  and  two 
cocks.  The  approximate  estimate  of  birds  in  after  years 
would  be,  in  1855,  about  40,  and  in  1865,  the  year  I  left  the 
island,  about  65  or  70.  I  consider  that  the  birds  cannot 
increase  to  more  than  80  or  90  birds,  owing  to  the  limited 
extent  of  wood  and  planting.  Black  game  have  decreased  on 
the  island  of  late  years,  not  on  account  of  the  numbers  of  the 
Capercaillies,  but  solely  through  the  want  of  cropping  on  the 
moor-edges,  which  have  been  turned  into  pasture.  There 
has  been  little  or  no  planting  of  Scotch  fir,  larch,  or  spruce, 
since  the  year  1830." 

The  birds  are  confined  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Brodick, 
Arran,  where  there  are  about  600  acres  of  fir  wood;  only 
stragglers  having  been  found  in  other  parts  of  the  island. 


PAET   V. 

GENERAL  REMARKS  ON  THE  DISTRIBUTION  AND 
INCREASE  OF  THE  SPECIES ; 

AND 

ON  THE  DECREASE  OF  BLACK  GAME. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

LAWS  OF  EXTENSION  OF  RANGE. 

The  general  distribution  of  the  Capercaillie  throughout  the 
world  is  concisely  given  by  Mr.  H.  E.  Dresser  in  his  great 
work  '  Tlie  Birds  of  Europe'  part  xxi.^  He  says  : — "  This  mag- 
nificent grouse,  the  largest  of  its  family,  is  found  throughout 
Northern  Europe,  and  is  even  met  with  in  the  forests  on  the 
mountain  ranges  in  the  southern  or  southern-central  portions 
of  the  Western  Palaearctic  region."  Perhaps  the  most 
southerly  locality  recorded  in  Europe  is  Acarnania  in  Greece 
{op,  cit.)  ^  To  the  east  it  extends  far  into  Asia,  and  has  been 
found  to  occur  as  far  as  the  valley  of  the  Irkut ;  but  in  the 
extreme  east  of  Siberia  it  becomes  partially,  if  not  wholly, 
replaced  by  a  smaller  species — Tetrao  urugalloides  of  Midden- 
dorf.  Beyond  this,  in  the  present  connection,  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  enter  into  detail  as  regards  its  distribution  outside 
the  limits  of  Great  Britain. 

Within  the  area  of  its  present  range  in  Scotland,  suitable 
woods — e.g.  woods  of  spruce,  Scotch  fir,  or  larch,  or  of  these 
combined — of  100  acres,  or  even  less  in  extent,  and  upwards, 
are  usually  inhabited  by  the  species ;  the  smaller  woods  hold- 

*  See  also  Lloyd's  '  GaTm  Birds  and  Wild  Fowl  of  Sweden,''  1866,  p.  2. 

*  Pennant,  *  Arctic  Zoology,^  1792,  vol.  i.  p.  365,  seems  to  have  traced 
it  as  far  south  as  the  Archipelago,  in  the  islands  of  Crete  and  Milo.  Hassel- 
guist  is  given  as  the  authority  for  the  bird  shot  in  a  palm  tree  in  Milo,  and 
Belon  for  Crete  (^ Penny  Cyclopcedia^'  vol.  vi.  p.  260). 


108  THE  CAPEHCAILLIE. 

ing  only  a  few  pairs,  sometimes  permanently,  but  often  only 
for  a  few  years  consecutively;-^  and  the  larger  woods  and 
continuous  forests  holding  more  in  proportion  according  to 
their  areas,  as  many  as  36,  25,  23,  etc.,  having  been  shot  in 
one  day  by  shooting-parties  upon  certain  estates  in  Perthshire. 

But  in  districts  inhabited  by  them,  where  forests,  once 
extensive,  have  been  reduced  in  size,  or  entirely  cut  down 
and  replaced  by  sheep-grazing  on  the  cleared  ground,  a  reduc- 
tion in  numbers  or  entire  disappearance  naturally  takes  place. 

Change  of  residence  or  local  migrations,  such  as  are  men- 
tioned by  several  writers — e.g.  Lloyd,  CoUett,  etc. — I  have 
myself  observed  also  in  Scotland,  and  many  of  my  corre- 
spondents draw  my  attention  to  the  fact  in  their  letters.  The 
birds  often  entirely  quit  one  part  of  a  forest  or  extensive 
wood  for  another,  and  this  migration  usually  takes  place  from 
an  older  to  a  younger  growth — i.e.,  to  a  growth  which  is  of 
that  age  which  is  suitable  to  their  requirements  of  feeding 
and  shelter  combined.  There  is  also  a  decided  preference 
shown  by  the  birds  for  forest  slopes  facing  the  south,  or  at  all 
events  for  those  lying  well  to  the  sun,  as  I  think  can  be  traced 
by  the  general  distribution  of  the  birds  at  the  present  time. 
I  find  that  in  various  localities  they  appear  to  thrive  better 
and  to  increase  more  rapidly  where  they  inhabit  situations 
having  a  southerly  exposure ;  other  amenities,  such  as  the 
necessary  amount  of  cover  and  absence  of  disturbing  influ- 
ences, being  of  course  taken  into  consideration.     The  above- 

1  Thus,  at  Aberuthven  wood,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Earn  valley,  or 
right  hank  of  the  river,  a  pair  of  Capercaillies  bred  regularly  for  four  or  five 
years,  but,  along  with  their  young,  always  left  after  the  latter  could  fly. 
Since  about  1869  they  have  not  returned  to  this  locality — a  wood  of  about 
40-50  acres  in  extent.  I  could  give  many  other  instances  of  their  breeding 
sporadically  in  this  way,  and  also  of  their  breeding  regularly,  but  always 
leaving  with  their  young  for  larger  covers  afterwards.  This  is  regularly  the 
case  at  Ochtertyre,  Crieff"  district,  where,  I  am  informed  by  Sir  Patrick  Keith 
Murray,  Bart.,  "  nests  are  found  all  over  the  woods  and  copses,  miles  from 
the  winter  resort  of  the  birds. " 


LAWS  OF  EXTENSION  OP  RANGE.        109 

mentiojied  partial  migration  or  change  of  residence  may,  in 
many  cases,  be  induced  by  this  preference.  (See  also,  under 
"  Eestoration,"  the  accoimt  by  Sir  Eobert  Menzies,  Bart.,  of 
the  preference  shown  to  the  woods  of  Dull,  near  Taymouth.)-^ 

In  certain  districts,  as,  for  example,  in  Glendochart,  in 
the  west  of  Perthshire,  Capercaillies  are  known  to  frequent 
coppices  of  hardwood  (birch  and  oak),  and  even  to  occur 
regularly  in  autumn  at  some  distance  away  from  wood  of  any 
kind,  being  often  shot  by  sportsmen  as  they  rise  out  of  long 
heather  on  the  hill-sides.^ 

In  the  winter  season,  however,  most  of  these  latter  repair 
to  more  suitable  shelter. 

Their  favourite  haunts  are  spruce,  Scotch  fir,  or  larch 
forests,  and  their  occurrence  in  hardwood  coverts  is  com- 
paratively rare,  except  in  the  breeding  season,  or  in  the  case 
of  birds  resting  during  a  tour  of  inspection.  The  departure 
from  their  usual  habitat,  on  comparatively  rare  occasions, 
may  be  accounted  for  by  a  natural  impulse  urging  them  to 
extend  their  range,  notwithstanding  unusual  difficulties  and 
unsuitable  ground,  combined  with  an  unusually  strong  pres- 
sure outward  from  the  nearest  centre  of  population.  An 
unusually  strong  pressure  of  this  kind  probably  takes  place 
outward  from  Taymouth ;  and  Glendochart  being  the  direct 

^  Correspondents  inform  me  that  the  young  birds  do  not  like  the  sun,  and 
that  in  the  heat  of  summer  they  often  shelter  themselves  under  overhanging 
banks,  apparently  to  escape  from  it.  In  the  heat  of  summer  even  the  old 
birds  sit  more  upon  the  ground  than  earlier  or  later  in  the  season.  In  Glen- 
almond,  in  Perthshire,  the  bank  of  the  river  facing  the  north  is  preferred,  but 
that -is  simply  because  the  distribution  of  the  pine  woods  favours  them.  On 
the  south  side  of  Loch  Rannoch  it  has  been  found  rather  difficult  successfully 
to  rear  and  keep  them.  The  young  birds  hatched  out  at  Cromer  Hall  {vide 
under  "Restoration  "),  supposed  to  have  died  from  exposure  to  a  scorching 
sun  {^ Penny  Cyclopcedia,'  vol.  vi.  p.  260),  may,  however,  have  perished  from 
an  insufficient  supply  of  their  natural  food. 

2  In  Norway,  Sweden,  and  Russia,  the  Capercaillie  also  occurs  occasionally 
in  hardwood  coverts — oak,  beech,  birch,  etc. — but  is  not  usually  stationary 
in  such  localities  ;  but,  as  remarked  by  several  Scandinavian  naturalists, 
seems  fond  of  patches  of  such  growth  in  the  midst  of  pine  forests. 


110  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

outlet  towards  the  west,  the  wave  of  advance  has  been  forced 
up  the  valley  until  it  has  reached  beyond  the  limit  of  spruce, 
Scotch  fir,  and  larch.  The  inevitable  law  exists  that  there  is 
a  distinct  limit  to  the  population  of  a  species  in  any  one 
locality,  regulated  by  the  size,  capabilities,  and  amenities  of 
the  area,  and  when  this  limit  is  reached  and  exceeded  the 
surplus  population  is  forced  to  seek  new  ground.  Further,  as 
the  internal  pressure  continues  and  increases,  the  greater 
difficulties  will  be  faced  and  surmounted  by  the  pioneers,  in 
order  to  fulfil  the  destiny  of  the  species,  and  the  amount  of 
success  achieved  will  depend  upon  the  hardihood  and  "  fitness" 
of  the  species  in  the  struggle  for  existence. 

The  easiest  and  most  natural  courses  of  advance  foUow 
the  valleys,  up  or  down  stream,  or  stretch  along  the  wooded 
foothills  and  slopes,  preferring,  as  already  pointed  out,  the 
sunny  exposures.  This  is  clearly  illustrated  by  the  fact,  that 
Capercaillies  in  a  comparatively  short  space  of  time  reach  and 
populate  more  remote  localities  in  the  directions  whence  the 
great  valleys  lead  them,  than  they  do  in  those  directions 
where  mountainous  or  treeless  country  intervenes.-^ 

The  beau-ideal  of  a  safe  harbourage  and  permanent  home 
for  the  Capercaillie  would  then  appear  to  be  as  follows  :— 
A  forest  of  spruce,  Scotch  fir,  and  larch,  mixed,  of,  say  700  to 
1000  acres  or  more  in  extent,  having  a  southern  exposure,  or 
lying  well  to  the  sun,  of  which  forest  certain  portions — say  a 

1  The  comparative  rate  of  advance  by  valleys  and  over  mountains  is  illus- 
trated— to  choose  amongst  a  great  mass  of  similar  statistics — by  the  extreme 
limit  reached  by  the  Tay  valley  route  in  1877  {vide  Map),  and  the  distance 
reached  at  Loch  Kennord  in  the  same  year  ;  the  former — Milngavie  near  Glas- 
gow— some  45  miles  in  a  direct  line  from  Taymouth,  and  the  latter  only  7^. 
Or,  to  select  another  example — the  limit  reached  by  the  Tay  valley  route  to 
Dunkeld,  and  thence  by  Strathmore  into  Forfar  in  1865  (Brechin  district — 
over  50  miles  in  a  direct  line  from  Taymouth),  as  compared  with  that  reached 
in  Glenshee  in  the  same  year  (Dalnaglar,  only  about  half  that  distance  in  a 
straight  line  from  Taymouth).  I  am  inclined  to  think,  judging  from  a  large 
mass  of  data,  that  the  birds  rarely,  or  only  under  exceptionally  strong  pres- 
sure, cross  mountain  tracts,  unless  they  can  vieio  forest-covered  country  beyond. 


LAWS  OF  EXTENSION  OF  RANGE.  Ill 

fourth  or  a  fifth — consists  of  old  timber,  and  the  remainder 
of  a  succession  of  growths  in  regular  rotation;  forested  in 
fact  like  a  German  forest,  thus  offering  abundance  of  food, 
shelter,  and  quiet.  And  further,  there  ought  to  be,  so  to 
speak,  convenient  natural  avenues  or  wooded  continuations — 
'f(yre8t  stepping-stones ' — to  other  districts,  either  in  valleys,  or 
along  the  hill-slopes,  to  act  as  safety-valves  for  the  escape  of 
surplus  population. 

The  hen  Capercaillies  appear  to  be,  in  most  cases,  the 
pioneers,  which  lead  to  the  extension  of  the  range  of  the 
species ;  and  it  is  natural  that  they  should  act  as  the  pioneers, 
as  they  are  more  numerous  than  the  cocks,  and  increase 
in  numbers  more  rapidly,  as  is  the  case  with  most  poly- 
gamous species."^  The  birds,  from  some  point  of  vantage  on 
the  outskirts  of  their  residence,  view  a  large  pine  wood,  even 
at  some  miles  distance,  and  make  direct  for  it. 

It  is  suggested  and  believed  by  several  correspondents  that 
the  pioneers  are  entirely  composed  of  young  birds  driven  away 
from  the  lecking  ground,  and  haunts  of  their  native  coverts. 
This  is  no  doubt  in  great  measure  the  case,  and  is  only  part  of 
the  mode  in  which  the  natural  law  is  put  in  force,  but  I  must 
certainly  uphold  that  attraction  does  take  place  by  the  most 
likely  coverts  and  woods,  as  all  our  statistics  indeed  go  to 

^  According  to  Lloyd — quoting  the  writings  of  others  on  the  birds  of 
Sweden — it  would  appear  that  the  males  are  by  many  considered  the  most 
abundant,  giving  rise  to  the  extraordinary  migrations  of  the  male  birds  from 
time  to  time,  *  en  masse,^  in  the  north  of  Europe  ;  and  we  also  are  told  of  the 
wandering  habits  of  the  males,  which  are  said  to  ^forflyga  sig,^  i.e.,  "to  fly  it 
knows  not  whither  " — in  the  same  way  as  I  find  the  hens  do  in  this  country — 
and  being  shot  in  strange  out-of-the-way  localities.  The  author  of  '  Tidskrift 
for  Jagare '  is  quoted  by  Lloyd,  as  stating  that  from  experience  he  "  has  found 
that  both  capercali  and  blackcock  broods  contain  more  males  than  females." 
Certainly  this  flocking  together  and  wandering  propensity  of  the  males  in 
,  Scandinavia  is  singular.  I  have  utterly  failed  to  obtain  any  statistics  con- 
firmatory of  this  superabundance  of  males  in  Scotland  ;  indeed,  our  experience 
is  quite  opposed  to  that  of  continental  naturalists,  unless,  indeed,  the  killing 
of  17  males  in  one  day  at  Keillor  wood,  near  Methven,  can  be  said  to  point  to 
a  superabundance  of  males. 


112  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

prove ;  and  this,  I  think,  will  become  patent  to  any  one  who 
studies  their  distribution.  If,  on  the  one  hand,  they  are  forced 
to  leave  by  the  older  and  stronger  birds,  still  they  will  leave 
in  those  directions  which  are  most  likely  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  species,  and,  as  I  have  already  pointed  out,  I 
believe  that  the  birds  have  great  power  of  vision,  and  use  this 
in  an  appreciable  degree  when  on  a  pioneering  journey. 

Birds,  andi  especially  females,  are  thus  often  shot  or  seen 
in  localities  totally  unsuited  to  their  habits — no  doubt  resting, 
as  I  have  already  indicated,  during  their  tour  of  inspection. 
Amongst  such  localities  may  be  instanced  a  bare  moor  or 
open  common,-^  a  patch  of  wood,  of  an  acre  or  two  in  extent, 
in  the  middle  of  a  bare  mountain  glen,^  or  even  in  the 
crowded  thoroughfares  of  a  large  town.^  There  is  evidence 
in  some  cases  of  these  pioneers  having  been  assisted  in  their 
travels  by  long-continuing  gales.  Thus,  about  the  first  bird 
shot  in  Fife — in  1863 — at  EankeiUor,  near  Cupar,  arrived 
towards  the  end  of  a  gale  which  had  been  blowing  for  some 
days  from  the  north ;  and  several  other  instances  could  be 
cited. 

The  females  precede  the  males  by  from  one  to  two  years, 
and  establishment  of  the  species  takes  place  very  shortly 
after  the  arrival  of  the  males,  and  from  two  to  four  years 
after  the  first  appearance  of  the  females — i.e.,  where  establish- 
ment does  follow  (yide  Tables  given  below). 

In  the  comparatively  few  instances  in  which  males  are 
first  observed,  it  may  be  inferred,  in  most  cases,  that  the 
females  had  arrived  from  one  to  two  years  previously,  and 
had  escaped  observation,  or  that  the  males  had  wandered 
during  their  search  for  their  pioneers.  In  certain  districts, 
where  there  is  only  a  limited   population  at  the  centre,  a 

^  Stenhousemuir,  Stirlingshire,  for  example — a  bare  grass  common,  with 
a  few  scattered  whin  bushes — used  to  hold  markets  upon. 

2  As  Glen  Queich,  and  many  others  in  Perthshire  and  other  counties. 
^  In  Edinburgh  [vide  under  Midlothian,  antea,  p.  89). 


LAWS  OF  EXTENSION  OF  RANGE. 


113 


natural  impiilse  causes  the  males  to  go  in  search  of  the  hens, 
and  it  is  probably  while  so  doing  that  they  are  said  to  "^or- 
flyga  sig"  or  "  fly  they  know  not  whither,"  in  Sweden.  Witness 
the  occurrences  of  a  male  bird  at  Auchengray,  in  Lanarkshire, 
and  (whether  prior  to  extinction  or  not)  of  the  male  birds 
shot  at  Fort  William  in  1807,  and  at  Bo'ness  in  1811.  The 
following  table  shows  some  of  the  above  facts.  The  statistics 
are  selected  from  a  very  large  number  in  my  possession,  all 
going  more  or  less  to  prove  what  I  have  above  stated. 

Table  showing  Order  of  Arrival  and  Establishment 
OF  THE  Species. 


Name  of  Localities. 

Date  of 
arrival  of 
Females. 

Date  of 

arrival  of 

Males. 

Estab- 
lished. 

Time 

between 
first  and 
last  dates. 

Cardross,  Perth    .     . 

1868 

1870 

1871 

3  years 

Chasefield,  Stirling    . 

1875 

1877 

1877 

2      „ 

Boqulian,        do. 

1871 

Bred 

1875 

4      „ 

Lanrick,  Perth      .     . 

1856 

18561 

1859-60 

3-4  „ 

Moncrieffe,  do.      .     . 

1861 

? 

1864 

3      „ 

Kinnordy,  Forfar  .     . 

? 

1863 

1863 

? 

Fotheringham,  Forfar 

1862 

1862 

1862 

Same  year 

Torwood,  Stirling 

?  Birds  arrived  1867 

... 

1870 

3  years 

Auchengray,  Lanark. 

? 

18682 

Not  established 

Rossie  Priory,  Stirling 

1867-68  ) 
1877-78  S 

No  males^ 

Not  established 

Rossie  Priory,     do.   . 

1  The  remains  of  a  male  were  also  found  in  1856  at  Lanrick,  or  Gartencaber 
(adjoining).  Its  death,  from  unknown  causes,  very  possibly  delayed  the 
establishment  a  year  or  two.  Otherwise,  judging  from  analogous  cases,  the 
establishment  would  probably  have  taken  place  in  1857.  A  separate  inform- 
ant gives  1853  as  the  date  of  their  first  appearance  at  Lanrick  ;  but  judging 
from  parallel  records  at  contiguous  localities,  I  think  this  may  be  too  early 
stated,  though,  of  course,  quite  within  the  bounds  of  possibility. 

2  This  male,  killed  in  1868  at  Auchengray,  was  doubtless  a  bird  wandering 
in  search  of  a  mate  from  some  one  of  the  localities  south  of  the  Clyde,  where 
several  futile  attempts  at  separate  introductions  were  made. 

*  A  very  sufficient  reason  here  for  the  non-appearance  of  males  is  the  insuf- 
ficiency of  cover.  Although  the  females  twice  attempted  to  extend  the  range 
of  the  species  in  this  direction,  they  were  not  followed  up  by  males ;  or  it 
may  possibly  have  been  because  the  hens  were  in  both  instances  shot  soon 
after  their  arrival. 

I 


114  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

The  CapercaiUie,  then,  has  populated  the  woods  and  forests 
of  part  of  Scotland,  principally  by  its  own  exertions,  since  the 
great  restoration  at  Taymouth ;  but  there  are  certain  minor 
centres  of  introduction  which  have  undoubtedly  added  some 
impulse  to  their  advance,  though,  perhaps,  not  to  any  extent 
compared  with  the  impulse  from  the  great  centre.  Thus,  we 
have  the  Tulliallan  introductions  in  1856  and  1864,  and  the 
Arran  introduction,  and  that  at  Lathirsk,  in  Fife,  besides 
others  more  or  less  successful  or  unsuccessful.  The  Arran 
introduction,  perhaps,  has  done  least  to  extend  the  bird's 
range,  its  isolated  position  naturally  placing  a  bar  to  their 
spreading,  although  the  introduction  in  itself  has  proved 
eminently  successful,  so  far  as  the  limited  area  of  wood 
permitted. 


CHAPTEE  XX. 

A  FEW  REMAKES  ON  HYBRIDISM. 

On  first  arrival  and  establishment  of  the  Capercaillie  at  a 
new  locality  in  an  entirely  new  district,  where  black  game  are 
abundant  or  fairly  plentiful,  cases  of  hybridism  are  not  unusual. 
If  females  arrive  first — as  we  have  shown  they  do — in  a  district 
populated  by  black  game,  the  absence  of  their  natural  partners 
will  induce  coition  with  black  game,  and  will  result  in 
hybrids.  If  the  male  Capercaillies  are  long  of  arriving,  this 
hybridism  will  increase  in  frequency.  But  when  their  own 
lords  at  last  make  their  advent,  the  hens  undoubtedly,  for  the 
most  part,  return  to  their  allegiance,  and  hybridism  becomes 
rarer,  though  it  may  not  altogether  die  out.  But,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  the  males  usually  do  arrive  very  shortly  after 
the  females — a  scarcity  of  female  birds  at  the  centre,  caused 
by  the  overflow,  doubtless  inducing  the  males  to  follow. 
Only  in  unusual  cases  of  isolation,  or  unusual  distance  from 
the  centre,  do  the  males  fail  to  find  out  the  hens.  Thus  it 
is  only  rarely  that  hybridism  attains  to  serious  proportions. 
As  the  exceptions  often  prove  the  rule,  I  wiU  instance  a  few 
statistics  chosen  from  amongst  a  number  of  others. 

At  Logiealmond,  Perthshire,  two  hybrids  were  shot  in 
1852,  the  first  obtained  there.  Also  a  hybrid  was  shot  at 
Alyth,  in  the  east  of  the  same  county,  in  1857.  At  TuUiallan 
the  first  bird  ever  seen  there  was  a  hybrid  in  1854.     These 


116  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

three  localities  are  situated  respectively  about  17 J  miles  as 
the  crow  flies,  28  miles,  and  38  miles,  from  the  centre  of 
restoration — Taymouth;  and  these  were  amongst  the  birds 
which  had  reached  to  unusually  great  distances  at  these  dates. 
I  cannot  be  far  wrong  in  supposing  that  female  Capercaillies  first 
reached  these  unusually  distant  localities,  it  may  have  been 
assisted  by  gales  of  wind  (as  in  the  case  of  the  first  recorded 
Fifeshire  bird  (p.  76),  and  that  male  Capercaillies  failed  to 
follow  them.  Landing  in  a  country  inhabited  by  black  game, 
hybridism  resulted. 

Again,  at  TulliaUan,  in  1856  (two  years  later),  out  of  a 
setting  of  Capercaillies'  eggs  three  birds  were  reared,  but  these 
turned  out  to  be  aU.  females,  which  "  bred  freely  with  black 
game,  and  hybrids  were  common  in  1857."  In  1864  more  eggs 
were  hatched  out,  some  of  which  were  males,  and  since  then 
Capercaillies  have  increased  rapidly,  and  now — 1877 — there 
will  be  from  200  to  300  birds  on  the  estate.  Hybrids  are  still 
to  be  met  with,  but  not  so  numerously  as  before  the  Caper- 
caillies became  plentiful."  For  information,  so  much  to  the 
point,  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Millar,  head  gamekeeper  at  TuUi- 
allan,  who  has  been  there  since  their  earliest  appearance.  The 
eggs  hatched  out  in  1864  were  obtained  from  Freelands,  near 
Perth,  by  Lord  Balfour  of  Burleigh. 

Sabanaeff,  in  his  account  of  the  '  A'vi  Fauna  of  the  Ural! 
says,  under  '  Tetrao  uwgalloides  {T.  Medius) '; — "  Taking  this 
as  a  hybrid,  it  is  easily  explained,  as  a  great  number  of  the 
male  T.  urogallus  are  killed  in  spring,  and  therefore  there 
exists  a  great  predominance  of  females  "  (see  translation  of  his 
paper  in  '  Proc.  Nat.  Hist.  Sod  Glasgow,  1877,  p.  304).  I  am 
not  sure,  however,  that  this  is  entirely  the  reason  of  a  pre- 
dominance of  females.  Farther  north,  at  Ust-Zilma,  on  the 
Petchora,  Seebohm  and  I  found  that  the  natives  only  shot  the 
hen  Capercaillies,  as  the  males  were  not  considered  fit  for 
food. 


REMARKS  ON  HYBRIDISM.  117 

As  to  the  occurrence  of  females  in  whole  or  partial  male 
dress  in  Scotland,  I  know  of  the  following : — One  in  the  pos- 
session of  Lord  BaKour  of  Burleigh,  at  Kennet,  in  Clack- 
mannan, shot  on  the  2d  N'ovember  1862,  near  Dunkeld,  at  Mr. 
Hugh  Bruce's  residence.  This  specimen  ''shows  its  tertiaries 
and  scapulars  tipped  with  white,  and  so  far  slightly  resembles 
the  plumage  of  the  adult  female."  ^  This  was  the  first  example 
of  the  kind  recorded  in  Scotland,  but  another  has  since  been 
obtained,  also  shot  at  Dunkeld,  which  is  now  in  the  Museum 
of  Science  and  Art.  It  was  obtained  at  Dunkeld  in  1866, 
and  purchased  from  Mr.  Eobert  Small,  naturalist,  Edinburgh, 
for  the  Museum.^  Mr.  J.  H.  Guvnej  jun.,  informs  me  that  he 
has  in  his  possession  a  dwarf  Capercaillie  in  nearly  full  plum- 
age, bought  in  Leadenhall  Market.  This  is  probably  of  Scan- 
dinavian origin,  however.  Mr.  Gurney  adds  : — "  There  is  a 
similar  dwarf  in  the  British  Museum,  but  larger  than  mine. 
It  may,  for  aught  I  know,  be  a  female  in  male  plumage.  It 
is  labelled, '  Hybrid  grouse,  var.,'  but  I  do  not  believe  in  its 
being  a  hybrid."  In  our  collection  at  Dunipace  is  a  very 
diminutive  Capercaillie  in  male  plumage,  shot  at  Dunira,  and 
given  to  me  by  Mr.  J.  Hamilton  Buchanan,  which  I  believe 
to  be  a  female  in  male  plumage,  but  unfortunately  the  speci- 
men is  not  sexed.^ 

1  Vide  'Proc.  Byl.  Phyl.  Soc.,'  Edinr,,  vol.  viii.  1862-63,  pp.  25-27. 

2  Op.  cit.  1865-66,  p.  408. 

3  For  full  particulars  regarding  hybridism  and  varieties,  etc. ,  see  Collett, 

*  Birds  of  Northern  Norvjay,'  quoted  very  fully  by  Dresser,  *  Birds  of  Europe,' 
parts  20  and  21.  In  the  Christiania  Museum  is  a  truly  wonderful  series  of  the 
lovely  varieties  found  in  this  species,  which  will  always  well  repay  the  atten- 
tion of  visitors.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  examining  these  in  1871.  For  an 
account  of  an  unusual  hybrid  between  black  grouse  and  hazel  grouse,  see 
Dresser  in  'P.  Z.  S.,'  1876,  p.  345.  There  are  many  other  notices  and 
accounts  of  hybrids  scattered  up  and  down,  and  a  general  reference  to  ornitho- 
logical works  might  suffice  in  this  place.  However,  to  those  who  feel  curious 
on  the  subject,  I  may  recommend  an  examination  of  Carus  and  Engelmann's 

*  Bihliotheca  Historico-Natv/ralis '  (vol.  ii.  pp.  1253-54),  which  will  supply  a 
list  of  papers,  British  and  Foreign,  up  to  the  date  of  1861. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

ON  THE  INCKEASE  OF  CAPERCAILLIES. 

My  circular  contained  several  queries,  specially  bearing  upon 
this  part  of  the  subject  (vide  circular,  p.  54,  queries  9th  to 
13th).  From  the  answers  received,  I  have  put  together  the 
following  statistics,  as  they  may  be  useful  for  future  com- 
parisons. 

Perhaps  the  districts  where  the  CapercaiUie  is  most 
abundant  at  present  are  as  follows : — The  Tay  Valley  from 
Taymouth  to  Perth,  and  the  districts  between  Perth,  Crieff, 
and  Comrie,  in  Perthshire ;  Strathmore,  in  Forfarshire ;  TuUi- 
aUan,  in  south  of  Perthshire ;  Sauchie,  in  Stirlingshire ;  and 
Arran. 

The  greatest  number  I  have  heard  of  killed  in  one  day 
was  36  at  Ladywell  plantation,  Pitnacree,  near  Dunkeld,  in 
1865.  This  is  part  of  the  Athole  estates,  upon  which  are  at 
least  10,000  acres  of  suitable  woods.  At  Bamff,  in  the  east 
of  Perthshire,  25  were  shot  one  day  in  1877 — area  2000 
acres.  At  Dunkeld  23  were  shot  one  day  {vide  '  Game-Booh,' 
belonging  to  Mr.  Small  of  Dir-na-Nean).  At  Fowlis  Wester 
12  were  shot  one  day  in  October  1859 ;  here  the  woods  are 
extensive,  as  they  join  with  Abercairney,  Gorthy,  Tulchan, 
and  neighbouring  properties.  At  Methven  14  were  shot  one 
day — 300  acres.  In  Keillor  wood,  Methven,  as  I  am  informed 
by  Mr.  D.  Brown,  he  once  saw  17  cocks  killed  in  one  day. 


INCREASE  OF  CAPERCAILLIES.         119 

At  Oclitertyre  great  numbers  were  seen  in  1870  or  thereabouts. 
At  Cardross,  where  they  only  arrived  in  1868  and  1870,  and 
became  established  in  1871,  and  where  there  are  about  300 
acres  of  suitable  wood  along  the  south  shore  of  the  lake  of 
Menteith,  18  to  20  may  be  now  seen  in  a  day;  and  in 
November  1877,  4  males  and  6  females  were  shot  one  day. 
On  Murthly  12  were  shot  one  day,  and  from  20  to  25  in  four 
days — about  3000  acres  of  fir  and  larch.  Here  they  became 
scarcer  for  a  time  after  a  certain  date,  and  a  correspondent 
assigns  over-shooting  on  a  neighbouring  property  as  the  cause. 
Now  they  are  increasing  again.  On  Tulliallan  it  is  reckoned 
there  are  "  from  200  to  300  birds,"  in  woods  of  an  area  of 
at  least  1500  acres.  On  the  adjoining  property  of  West 
Grange  I  have  myself  seen  at  least  16  birds  in  one  day,  and 
seen  4  shot.  At  Easter  Ogle,  in  Forfarshire,  20  to  24  have  been 
shot  in  one  day — about  2000  acres.  On  Sauchie,  in  Stirling- 
shire, there  are  estimated  to  be  from  50  to  60  birds.  At 
Dunsinane,  near  Perth,  in  1868  or  1869,  I  saw  upwards  of 
30  birds  in  one  day.  At  Dupplin  16  were  shot  one  day. 
At  Taymouth,  about  1862,  estimates  reached  between  1000 
and  2000  birds.^  At  Torwood,  in  Stirlingshire,  in  1878,  about 
14  were  driven  up  to  the  guns  in  one  beat,  and  3  were  shot. 

The  above  are  only  selections  from  a  larger  mass  of 
materials,  but  they  will,  I  think,  fairly  illustrate  the  districts 
in  which  the  birds  are  most  abundant.  The  farthest  point 
reached  towards  Loch  Earn  is  Dunjra,  except  a  stray  bird  or 
two  on  Loch  Earn  side  at  Ardvorlich  and  Dearry. 

^  According  to  returns  to  Parliament  in  1873,  the  total  acreage  of  the 
Taymouth  estates  in  Perthshire  was  234,166  ;  of  this,  of  course,  only  a 
comparatively  small  proportion  is  under  wood. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

ON  THE  DECREASE  OF  BLACK  GAME. 

Black  Game  have  become  less  plentiful,  and  in  some  cases 
even  extinct,  or  nearly  so,  in  certain  districts  where  Caper- 
caillies  have  become  plentiful,  and  there  is  an  apparently 
striking  connection  between  the  advent  of  the  latter  and  the 
departure  of  the  former.  This  cannot  be  denied,  and  I  have 
many  statements  from  correspondents  bearing  out  the  truth 
of  the  assertion.^ 

From  many  others,  however,  I  have  also  the  statement 
that  black  game  have  not  decreased  in  certain  other  districts 
which  Capercaillies  have  taken  possession  of,  and  where  they 
have  become  plentiful ;  and  the  latter  group  of  correspondents 
are  invariably  of  opinion  that  Capercaillies  in  no  way  inter- 

^  And  it  does  seem  certain,  moreover,  that  Capercaillies  and  black  game 
.do  not  invariably  agree  to  live  peaceably  in  one  another's  company.  One 
correspondent,  who  appears  to  have  had  considerable  experience  of  their  habits, 
and  to  have  watched  them  closely,  tells  me  that  when  black  game  and  Caper- 
caillies do  happen  to  frequent  the  same  ground,  the  latter  drive  away  the 
former  in  the  spring  time.  As  this,  however,  can  only  refer  to  somewhat 
unusual  circumstances  in  the  localities,  and  as  the  two  can  hardly  be  said 
generally  to  frequent  similar  country,  this  fact  can  only  be  held  as  of  local 
application.  The  same  correspondent  adds  that  they  drive  away  black  game 
"  by  driving  off  the  old  birds  and  killing  the  young  ;"  and  he  states  that  he 
has  seen  battles  between  the  species  in  ^clucking  season.''  He  also  saw  a 
Capercaillie  and  a  grey  hen  with  their  broods  coming  in  contact,  when  a 
terrible  battle  ensued.  *'  The  Capercaillie  succeeded  in  driving  away  the  grey 
hen,  and  then  killed  the  most  of  her  brood." 


DECREASE  OP  BLACK  GAME.  121 

fere  with  black  game.  From  other  sources  I  gather  the  fact 
that,  in  many  districts  remote  from  the  area  inhabited  by 
CapercaiUies,  black  game  have  become  much  scarcer,  or  have 
almost  disappeared  within  the  last  few  years;  indeed,  the 
complaint  is  no  uncommon  one,  although  in  some  cases  a 
reason  for  the  decrease  cannot  with  certainty  be  assigned. 
This  last  fact  proves,  at  all  events,  that  there  are  other 
"  environing  causes  "  at  work,  modifying  and  restricting  the 
numbers  of  black  game,  and  that  it  is  unfair  to  heap  aU  the 
blame,  if  indeed  any  of  it,  upon  the  Capercaillie :  that,  in  fact, 
it  would  be  judicious  to  pause  before  summarily  condemning 
the  panel. 

To  endeavour  to  discover  and  make  plain  to  my  readers 
some  of  these  other  causes  of  the  decrease  of  black  game  is 
the  object  of  this  section. 

At  Dalnaglar,  a  property  in  Glenshee,  Perthshire,  as  I 
am  informed  by  the  proprietor,  black  game  were  "  extremely 
abundant  fifteen  years  ago."  CapercaiUies  arrived  there  about 
1865,  when  black  game  were  still  plentiful,  and  rapidly 
increased  in  numbers  in  a  large  pine  wood  of  some  300  acres 
in  extent,  the  largest  suitable  cover  for  the  species  in  Glen- 
shee. For  the  last  ten  years  (prior  to  1878)  drainage  opera- 
tions have  been  carried  on  more  or  less  :  previous  to  that 
time  no  draining  had  been  done  for  ten  years.  No  young 
plantations  have  been  formed,  and  all  the  wood  on  the 
property  is  now  nearly,  or  quite,  ready  for  cutting.  Black 
game  have  decreased  to  such  an  extent  that  at  one  time  they 
became  almost  extinct,  and  the  proprietor  had  to  re-introduce 
them  by  eggs  from  counties  south  of  the  Firth  of  Forth.  I 
myself  will  not  be  surprised  to  learn  some  day  that  even  the 
CapercaiUies  wiU  change  their  residence  and  remove  to  more 
eUgible  covers,  unless  young  plantations  be  started  on 
Dalnaglar. 

We  have  seen  that  attempts  to  introduce  CapercaiUies  to 


122  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

the  old  Black  Wood  of  Eannoch — the  remains  of  the  Cale- 
donian Forest — which  has  a  northerly  exposure,  and  where, 
until  of  late  years,  there  has  been  but  little  fresh  planting, 
have  failed.  If  proprietors  drain  their  moors  and  trench  their 
forests  upon  the  rapid  system  now  so  generally  practised,  I 
doubt  if  they  can  expect  to  have  black  game  as  plentifully  as 
formerly.  It  is  weU  known  to  naturalists  that  black  game, 
especially  when  young  and  tender,  are  particularly  fond  of 
feeding  in  swampy  rushy  moor,  or  moist  forest  land,  finding 
there  abundance  of  insect  food  suited  to  their  tender  age.  It 
is  not  until  they  reach  a  certain  age  that  black  game  feed 
persistently  upon  larch,  birch,  and  Scotch  fir  "  sprits."  Take 
away  from  them  this  rushy  ground  where  their  favourite,  nay, 
necessary  food  is  found,  and  black  game  will  leave  or  die  out, 
unless  artificial  feeding,  perhaps,  in  some  degree  may  avert 
the  calamity;  which,  however,  I  doubt. 

Again,  I  have  it  from  various  correspondents  that  in  cer- 
tain localities  in  the  Tay  vaUey  and  elsewhere,  black  game 
have  in  no  ways  decreased,  although  Capercaillies  have  become 
numerous ;  and  in  several  instances  I  have  elicited  the  fur- 
ther information  that  at  some  of  the  said  localities  draining 
has  not  taken  place  to  any  extent  for  a  number  of  years. 

At  Arden,  on  Loch  Lomond,  as  I  am  informed  by  my 
friend  Mr.  James  Lumsden  (who  for  some  time  back  has  been 
working  at  the  distribution  of  black  game  in  Scotland),  there 
are  no  Capercaillies.  Black  game,  nevertheless,  have  been 
decidedly  on  the  decrease,  even  rapidly,  during  the  last  eight 
or  nine  years,  which  is  the  time  which  has  elapsed  since  drain- 
ing operations  on  a  considerable  scale  were  commenced  upon 
the  estate.  There  has  also  been  a  curtailing  of  the  acreage  of 
cropped  land  along  the  moor  edges,  cropping  having  been 
replaced  by  grazing.  Cropping,  I  hold,  of  course,  as  an  arti- 
ficial mode  of  feeding  black  game ;  still  this,  at  least,  proves 
another  "  environing  cause  "  for  their  decrease.     Every  year 


DECREASE  OF  BLACK  GAME.  123 

almost  we  hear  of  complaints  of  the  decrease  of  black  game 
continuing  from  many  estates  in  the  west  of  Scotland  and 
from  other  parts;  often,  it  is  true,  from  causes  at  present  diffi- 
cult to  trace,  but  some  of  which  I  have  little  doubt  will  be 
found  in  drainage,  land  improvement,  and  consequent  destruc- 
tion of  insect  and  vegetable  food  necessary  to  the  weUbeing 
of  i3lack  game.  Mr.  J.  B.  Hamilton,  of  Leny,  has  given  me  a 
strong  instance  of  decrease  of  black  game,  owing  to  land 
improvement,  from  a  district  not  inhabited  by  Capercaillies, 
which  is  so  much  to  the  point  that  I  quote  his  communica- 
tion in  full :  "  In  Dumfriesshire  I  have  for  several  years  shot 
over  the  Corrie  estate,  which  belongs  to  my  friend  Mr.  Jardine, 
of  Lanrick.  It  is  a  hilly  grass  country,  with  a  deal  of  good 
strong  land  in  it.  It  may  extend  to  some  10,000  acres,  and 
at  one  time  he  rented  the  shooting  of  adjoining  land  there  to 
a  somewhat  similar  extent.  He  has  known  that  district  aU 
his  life,  and  has  shot  over  it  for  probably  thirty  years  or  more. 
The  black  game  have  diminished  very  largely  in  numbers 
during  that  period.  His  impression  is  that  he  does  not  see 
one  bird  now  for  ten  that  he  used  to  do.  There  are  no  Caper- 
caillies there,  or  anywhere  near  there,  though  there  are  plenty 
of  fir  woods  of  all  ages  and  sizes.  He  accounts  for  the  dimi- 
nution of  the  black  game  from  the  improvement  of  the  land. 
During  the  last  twenty  years  there  has  been  a  large  amount 
of  drainage,  both  close  and  open,  done  on  the  Corrie  property, 
and  a  very  large  amount  of  top  dressing  the  hill  land  with 
lime,  at  the  rate  of  from  six  to  eight  tons  per  acre.  The  result 
of  all  this  is  the  destruction  of  the  coarser  grasses  which  pro- 
duced the  seeds  that  were  the  food  of  the  game,  and  the  pro- 
duction of  a  finer  type  of  herbage,  which  has  probably  doubled 
the  rental  of  that  property  within  the  last  twenty  years. 

"  Improvement  of  land,  as  a  general  rule,  may,  I  think,  be 
accepted  as  synonymous  with  injury  to  really  wild  game.  Thus, 
I  have  known  the  size  and  weight  of  hares  to  have  fallen  off 


124  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

greatly  on  land  after  it  lias  been  improved;  and  the  quality, 
probably,  of  beef  and  mutton,  and  certainly  of  milk,  and  its 
products — ^butter  and  cheese — is  greatly  deteriorated  on  im- 
proved land,  while  the  quantity  is  largely  increased." 

Water  is  in  itself  necessary  for  the  health  of  black  game,  and, 
as  Lloyd  informs  us,  the  want  of  it  in  certain  seasons  "  visibly 
diminished  their  numbers"  {op.  cit.  p.  74).  On  the  other 
hand,  trees  are  necessary  to  the  welfare  of  Capercaillies.  But 
drainage  is  necessary  to  the  growth  and  health  of  forest  trees, 
so  that  the  interests  of  the  Capercaillie  and  black  game  are 
really  antagonistic  in  a  considerable  degree  to  one  another, 
though  it  cannot,  with  justice,  be  said  that  the  former  are 
actually  "driving  out" — which  is  the  expression  generally 
used^he  latter.  Eather  say  the  conditions  favourable  to 
the  former  are,  in  a  measure,  antagonistic  to  the  latter.^ 

Indeed,  I  have  evidence  in  at  least  one  instance  of  a 
reaction,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  black  game  actually  increasing 
in  a  locality  where  Capercaillies  have  been  on  the  decrease 
for  twenty  years,  not  simply  because  the  Capercaillies  have 
decreased,  but  because  the  same  reasons  which  caused  the 
Capercaillies  to  decrease,  viz.,  the  cutting  of  large  extents  of 
forest  without  a  corresponding  area  being  replanted,  and  little 
or  no  draining  operations  having  been  carried  on — have  bene- 
fited the  black  game,  and  caused  them  to  increase  again  in 
numbers.  To  make  perfectly  sure  of  this  fact,  I  was  at  some 
pains  to  obtain  statistics  from  the  locality  in  question  regard- 

^  Indeed,  if  we  come  to  investigate  the  subject  further,  we  find  red  grouse 
decreasing,  and  black  game  increasing,  under  similar  or  parallel  conditions. 
Thus,  in  Buchanan  parish,  Stirlingshire,  we  find  the  red  grouse  **  superseded 
by  the  black  grouse  {^  New  Stat.  Acct.  of  the  County,'  p.  91)  ;  also  a  great  de- 
crease of  the  former  in  Kirkcudbright  {op.  cit.  p.  110)."  "Scarcely  a  black 
cock  to  be  seen  in  1809  in  Kirkgunzeon  parish,  Kirkcudbright,  now  outnum- 
bering the  grouse  "  {pp.  cit.  p.  219) ;  and  many  more  instances  could  be  given. 
On  the  other  hand,  in  certain  districts,  in  localities  where  there  is  a  suitable 
provision  for  both  species — sufiicient  heather  for  the  grouse  and  sufficient 
marshy  ground  and  grass  for  black  game,  as,  for  instance,  in  parts  of  the  high 
flat  moors  of  Ayrshire — both  species  thrive  and  multiply. 


DECREASE  OF  BLACK  GAME.  125 

ing  land  improvements,  etc.,  during  the  last  twenty  years,  and  to 
verify  reports  as  to  corresponding  increase  and  decrease  of 
the  two  species. 

In  this  neighbourhood  also — ^parish  of  Dunipace,  Stirling- 
shire— twenty  years  ago,  black  game  were  common  at  a 
locality  only  about  a  mile  from  this  house.  Drainage  opera- 
tions were  carried  out  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  black 
game  entirely  disappeared.  Capercaillies  arrived  and  became 
fairly  established  about  1867  in  the  spruce  and  pine  woods  of 
Torwood  and  Denovan,  which  partially  surround  the  moor- 
land locality  in  question.  No  drainage  of  any  consequence 
has  taken  place  for  very  many  years.  Black  game  returned 
to  the  locality  of  their  own  accord  three  years  ago  (1875), 
and  have  since  then  been  increasing  slowly  but  steadily. 
Capercaillies  at  the  same  time  are  tolerably  common.  The 
nature  of  the  land  admits  of  both  species  thriving  and  in- 
creasing, for  while  the  Torwood  forest  has  been  partly  drained, 
old  wood  cut,  and  the  ground  replanted,  the  moorland  haunt 
of  the  black  game  has  almost  returned  to  its  normal  state,  the 
same  as  before  it  was  drained  at  all. 

To  open  draining  on  estates  in  Scotland,  and  to  other 
land  improvements,  injuring  or  destroying  the  natural  grasses 
and  drying  up  the  land,  is  attributable,  I  believe,  the  marked 
decrease  in  black  game  which  many  proprietors  lament. 

Mr.  Eobert  Collett  writes  me  as  follows : — "  As  to  the 
decrease  of  the  black  game,  effected  by  the  spreading  of  the 
Capercaillie,  I  am  sure  that  it  must  be  on  very  rare  occasions 
that  these  birds  offend  each  other.  They  have  in  Norway 
their  different  localities,  which  they  prefer  to  others,  and 
their  own  breeding-grounds,  and  I  have  very  seldom  heard  of 
any  fighting  between  them.  In  Norway  I  never  heard  of 
any  corresponding  decrease  and  increase  of  the  named  species. 
Although  certainly  both  tetrix  (black  game)  and  urugallus 
(Capercaillie)  are  straggling  birds,  and  may  be  found  in  num- 


126  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

bers  one  year  in  a  place  where  they  are  totally  absent  the 
next."     Dr.  Meves  writes  in  similar  terms  from  Sweden. 

Besides,  increased  population  and  wealth,  producing  a 
steadily  increasing  swarm  of  sportsmen  year  by  year,  together 
with  the  general  use  of  the  rapidly-loaded  breechloader — has 
this  nothing  to  do  with  the  decrease  of  black  game  ?  I  have 
many  communications  from  parties  well  able  to  judge,  that 
this  is  a  factor,  and  a  not  unimportant  one.  Combine  this  with 
the  above  planting,  and  draining,  and  land  improvement,  and 
say : — Is  it  not  more  extraordinary  that  black  game  are  still 
numerous,  than  that  they  have  decreased  in  number  during — 
we  will  say — the  last  thirty  years  ? 

I  could  bring  forward  much  more  evidence  of  a  similar 
nature,  clearing  the  Capercaillies  from  blame,  but  I  think  it 
needless  further  to  enlarge  upon  this  part  of  the  subject.  I 
will  merely  add  in  the  words  of  an  American  naturalist 
(Prof.  T.  Gill,  in  '  The  Nation;  July  19,  1877,  p.  44) :— "  Birds 
are  a  highly  speciahsed  group,  very  liable  to  modifications, 
resulting  from  environing  causes,  and  ever  susceptible  to  the 
changes  of  condition  that  may  supervene;"  and  record  my 
conviction  that  the  increase  of  Capercaillies  is  probably  the 
very  least  important  factor  in  the  decrease  of  the  black  game, 
if,  indeed,  it  is  one  at  all.  Further,  I  believe  that  too  often 
too  much  importance  is  attached  to  casual  and  superficial 
remarks  expressed  by  those  who  do  not  look  beneath  the 
surface  of  first  impressions.  Error  or  exaggeration  in  con- 
sequence gains  credence,  and  becomes,  in  the  minds  of  many, 
even  as  estabhshed  facts. 


CHAPTEE  XXIII. 

EELATIONS  BETWEEN  CAPERCAILLIES  AND  PHEASANTS. 

Not  only  are  Capercaillies  accused  of  driving  away  black 
game,  but  in  some  localities  (though  not  generally,  as  far  as  I 
can  learn)  they  are  said  to  drive  away  the  pheasants  from  the 
feeding  boxes  and  themselves  feed  upon  the  Indian  com. 
This  is  induced,  no  doubt,  simply  by  the  force  of  constant 
example  set  before  them,  and  it  only  proves  how  easily  our 
big  friend  can  adapt  himself  to  circumstances  like  a  good 
colonist,  as  he  undoubtedly  is.  Moreover,  the  CapercailKe, 
exercising  his  gifts  still  further,  sometimes  takes  possession 
of  a  comfortably  formed  pheasant's  nest — according  to  several 
correspondents — as,  they  say,  three  or  four  pheasant's  eggs  are 
found  at  times  in  nests  occupied  by  Capercaillies.  But  I 
should  doubt  if  in  most  cases  such  occupation  by  the  Caper- 
caillie  is  premeditated,  and  I  would  not  be  surprised  to 
learn  that  some  day  or  other  some  observant  naturalist  will 
report  the  fact,  that  the  hen  pheasant  is  really  the  aggressor, 
and  second  occupier  of  the  nest.  Supposing,  however,  that 
the  Capercaillie  really  is  the  aggressor,  how  often  does  it 
happen,  and  what  amount  of  harm  is  done  ?  A  Capercaillie 
hen,  intent  on  preparing  a  summer  home,  we  will  suppose, 
wanders  about  in  search  of  a  suitable  position,  and  stumbles 
upon  a  hollow  in  every  way  suited  to  her  requirements.  A 
hen  pheasant  having  covered  over  her  two  or  three  eggs  with 


128  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

leaves,  had  perhaps  just  left  it  shortly  before.  The  Caper- 
caillie  may  give  it  an  additional  scrape,  or  she  may  not,  but, 
at  all  events,  she  settles  upon  it  and  lays  her  eggs.  Perhaps 
the  hen  pheasant  deserts,  perhaps  they  sit  amicably  on  the 
eggs  by  turns.  In  either  case  the  eggs  are  kept  warm,  unless 
indeed  the  Capercaillie  ejects  them.  Perhaps  a  gamekeeper 
comes  by  that  way.  He  sees  the  pheasant's  eggs,  and  lifts 
them,  and  they  are  hatched  out  under  a  hen,  but  he  is  pretty 
sure  to  blame  the  Capercaillie  for  usurping  the  pheasant's 
nest,  when  perhaps  really  the  pheasant  is  the  bird  which 
ought  to  bear  the  judgment ;  in  other  words,  the  Capercaillie 
gets .  more  blame  than  she  really  deserves.  The  number  of 
pheasant's  eggs  lost  in  this  way  cannot  surely  be  very  great. 
When  partridges  and  pheasants'  eggs  are  found  in  the  same 
nest — as  they  often  are — ^tell  me,  which  is  the  aggressor  ? 

Other  correspondents,  but  not  many,  believe  that  Caper- 
caillies  drive  away  the  old  pheasants  and  kill  the  young  in 
the  same  way  as  described  in  the  former  section  with  regard 
to  black  game.  If,  as  I  strongly  suspect,  the  hen  pheasant  is 
the  first  aggressor — laying  in  the  hen  Capercaillie's  nest,  and 
claiming  a  part  of  the  maternal  duties — it  is  perhaps  natural 
that  the  stronger  bird  should  assert  her  rights,  or  suspect  the 
pheasant's  motives,  and  retaliate  by  driving  her  off,  and  even 
killing  the  young  pheasants.  But,  for  reasons  above  stated,  I 
think  this  can  only  be  in  exceptional  cases,  and  only  in  self- 
defence. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  hen  birds  of  the  two 
species  do  fight  at  the  feeding-places  intended  for  the  pheas- 
ants, and  that  sometimes  a  hen  pheasant  is  killed  or  maimed 
in  the  battle ;  but  this  wiU  find  its  own  cure  in  some  other 
way  than  by  extirpating  the  Capercaillies; 


PAET   VL 

ON  DAMAGE  TO  FOEESTS  AND  CROPS ; 
AND  CONCLUSION. 


'  Who  shall  decide  when  doctors  disagree. 
And  soundest  casuists  doubt  ? " 


Note. — This  Part  is  far  from  complete,  but  I  have  found  great  trouble  in 
getting  statistics,  and  crops,  etc.,  for  dissection  during  the  summer  months. 
Perhaps  the  only  way  to  elicit  further  data  will  be  to  publish  it  as  it  at  present 
stands. 


K 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

DAMAGE  TO   FOKESTS. 

Extensive  damage  done  by  Capercaillies  to  woods  and  forests 
is  another  sad  thorn  in  many  proprietors'  sides.  To  hear  some 
speak  of  the  awful  destruction  going  on  might  ahnost  lead  one 
to  suppose  that  in  bygone  days  the  evil  deeds  of  the  species 
brought  its  own  punishment ;  that,  in  fact,  the  Capercaillie 
exterminated  the  forest  growth  over  large  areas  of  Scotland, 
and  that  this  extermination  exterminated  them  in  turn.  In 
many  parts  of  the  area  at  present  inhabited  by  the  birds,  on 
this  account  alone,  they  are  shot  down  upon  all  occasions,  in 
the  endeavour  to  reduce  their  numbers  ;  or,  at  all  events,  no 
encouragement  is  given  to  them  to  increase.  Twenty  years 
ago,  when  Capercaillies  appeared  on  an  estate,  the  greatest 
care  was  taken  to  foster  them.  Now,  it  is  usually  different ; 
and,  where  at  all  plentiful,  they  are  shot,  both  sexes  indis- 
crimiaately ;  and  in  some  places,  as  we  have  seen  in  a  former 
section,  very  heavy  bags  are  often  made.  I  have,  however, 
sufficient  faith  in  the  robust  character  of  the  species  to  pre- 
vent my  becoming  anxious  lest  a  second  extermination  should 
ever  take  place,  if  fair  means  only  be  used  to  keep  its  numbers 
in  check. 

I  have  in  this  connection  endeavoured  to  collect  inde- 
pendent testimony  from  the  best  sources  as  to  the  nature  and 
amount  of  the  damage  done.     Mr.  Malcolm  Dunn  (who  has 


132  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

specially  studied,  and  who  read  a  paper  upon  the  subject 
before  the  Botanical  Society  of  Edinburgh  (see  '  ZooV  1875, 
p.  4338),  writes  to  me  as  follows  : — "  In  reference  to  the 
damage  done  to  plantations  by  both  Capercailliei  and  black 
game,  the  proof  is  too  strong  to  admit  of  the  slightest  doubt. 
Where  either  exist  in  large  numbers,  in,  or  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of,  young  plantations  of  larch  and  Scots  fir,  they  do  a 
vast  amount  of  injury  to  the  young  trees,  by  eating  the  young 
buds,  leaves,  and  shoots  of  the  trees ;  and,  in  the  case  of  the 
Scots  fir  especially,  at  a  season  of  the  year  when  there  are  no 
insects  of  any  kind  upon  them — I  here  refer  to  beetles,  cater- 
pillars, or  Aphides — coccus  or  scale  insects  may  be  upon  the 
trees,  but  not  on  the  wood  or  leaves  eaten  hy  the  Capercaillie. 
This  is  the  opinion  of  all  my  correspondents  who  have  paid 
any  attention  to  the  matter,  corroborated  by  my  own  experi- 
ence. Of  the  very  many  '  crops '  of  the  Capercaillie  which  I 
have  dissected  and  carefully  examined,  none  contained  any 
traces  of  the  bird  having  fed  upon  insects.  In  the  winter  the 
crops  are  usually  entirely  filled  with  the  leaves,  huds,  and  young 
shoots  of  the  Scots  fir.  The  contents  of  one  '  crop  '  of  a  male 
bird,  which  I  examined  in  November  1873,  were  as  follows  : — 
203  points  of  shoots  of  Scots  fir,  with  the  leading  buds  entire, 
gome  of  the  shoots  being  fully  3  inches  long ;  11  pieces  of 
young  wood,  1 J  to  2  J  inches  long,  having  leaves  attached,  but 
no  terminal  buds ;  and  52  buds — making  in  all  266  shoots  and 
huds,  besides  a  large  handful  of  single  leaves  of  the  Scots  fir, 
which  the  bird  had  devoured  at  one  meal.  The  whole  were 
quite  fresh  and  green,  were  to  all  appearance  selected  from  a 
very  healthy  tree,  and  showed  no  trace  whatever  of  ever  having 
been  attacked  by  the  pine  beetle  {Hylurgus  ;pini]perda)  or  any 
other  insect ;  and  most  certainly  there  were  no  insects  in 
the  crop.  The  contents  of  this  crop  I  presented  to  the  Edin- 
burgh Botanical  Society,  and  they  can  now  be  seen  in  the 
Museum  of  the  Society  in  the  Botanic  Gardens.     In  another 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.  133 

crop,  which  I  examined  in  April  1874, 1  found  the  contents  to 
be  wholly  the  young  shoots,  leaves,  and  huds  of  larch.  1  counted 
the  extraordinary  number  of  918  buds  alone  in  this  '  crop,' 
besides  the  bits  of  shoots  and  leaves,  which  formed  by  far  the 
bulkiest  part  of  the  whole.  There  were  a  few  bits  (three) 
of  silvery  lichen  amongst  the  contents,  but  nothing  else.^ 
These  are  given  Sisfair  samples  of  many  crops  I  have  examined, 
received  chiefly  from  Perthshire,  Mr.  Brown  having  sent  me 
about  a  score  from  Perth  in  1874.  In  none  of  them  did  I  ever 
meet  with  a  pine  beetle,  or  any  other  insect  that  would  lead 
me  to  suppose  that  the  bird  preys  upon  insects,  or  had  a  pre- 
ference for  shoots  which  were  infected  by  them.  In  fact,  I 
should  maintain  that  the  bird  prefers  clean,  healthy,  fresh  food, 
and  has  no  taste  for  damaged  or  decaying  vegetation  of  any 
kind.  I  have  never  examined  the  crop  of  a  young  bird  taken 
out  of  the  nest ;  but  I  have  analysed  the  crops  of  several 
birds  of  the  same  year  in  July  and  August,  and  failed  in  every 
instance,  to  find  any  insects,  so  that,  although  I  am  aware 
that  it  is  said  in  boohs  that  they  are  '  fond  of  insects,  especially 
when  young,'  I  am  unable  to  corroborate  the  assertion.  The 
nature  and  habits  of  the  bird  do  not  in  any  way  lead  me  even 
to  suppose  it  feeds  on  insects ;  but  in  other  parts  of  the  world 
— in  Norway  for  instance — it  may  feed  on  different  matter  to 
what  it  does  in  Scotland. 

"  Since  I  made  my  investigations  anent  the  injury  done 
by  the  Capercaillie,  etc.,  to  forest  trees,  I  have  also  investi- 
gated the  injury  done  by  insects.  The  injury  done  by  the 
pine  beetle  to  the  Scots  fir  is  in  no  ways  analogous.  The 
beetle  does  its  injury  internally,  by  eating  the  pith  of  the 
shoots  and  heart  of  the  buds ;  the  Capercaillie  '  lops '  the 
shoots,  buds,  and  leaves  clean  off,  and  the  one  cannot  by  any 
possibility  be  mistaken  for  the  other ;  besides,  the  injury  is 

^  The  pieces  of  lichen  no  douht  were  picked  up  along  with  the  other  con- 
tents of  the  crop,  and  do  not  form  a  pa,rt  of  the  regular  food  of  the  bird. — 
[J.  A.  H.  B.] 


134  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

done  by  the  beetle  in  the  middle  of  summer,  and  the  most 
serious  injury  is  done  by  the  bird  in  the  winter,  when  the 
beetles  are  hybemating  in,  or  on,  dead  wood  on  the  ground. 

"  The  beetle  attacks  almost  any  pine  tree,  sick  or  healthy, 
any  size  or  any  age  ;  only,  as  it  climbs  from  the  ground  to  the 
branches,  small  trees,  say  under  25  years  of  age,  are  those 
commonly  attacked.  Capercaillies,  on  the  other  hand,  attack 
only  healthy  trees  of  any  size  or  age,  and  will,  in  some  in- 
stances, return  to  the  same  tree  for  days  continuously ,  till  it  is 
completely  stripped  of  its  buds  or  growing  points,  and,  of  course, 
most  seriously  injuring  it,  and  rendering  it  perfectly  useless  for 
timber.  If  the  bird  is  kept  within  due  limits  (in  numbers), 
the  injury  they  do  is  immaterial  to  the  general  welfare  of  our 
forests ;  but  if  they  become  very  numerous,  they  will  cer- 
tainly play  havoc  with  the  pine  and  larch  plantations  in  their 
neighbourhood,  especially  young  plantations.  Black  game, 
at  certain  seasons,  are  just  about  as  injurious  to  young  pine 
and  larch  trees."  The  above  remarks  by  Mr.  Dunn  were 
evoked  by  special  queries  which  I  put  to  him  regarding  the 
possibility  existing  of  the  buds  affected  by  the  pine  beetle 
being  those  chosen  by  the  Capercaillie.  As  has  been  seen, 
Mr.  Dunn  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  bird  prefers  "  clean, 
healthy,  fresh  food,"  and  has  "  no  taste  for  damaged  or  decaying 
vegetation  of  any  kind."  He  does  not  consider  that  insects 
of  any  kind  form  part  of  their  food,  but  he  at  the  same  time 
states  that  he  "  never  examined  the  crop  of  a  young  bird 
taken  out  of  the  nest." 

In  this  connection  Mr.  D.  Brown,  formerly  naturalist  for 
many  years  in  Perth,  writes  that  he  has"  stuffed  very  nearly  700 
Capercaillies  during  the  last  twenty-two  years,"  and  "not  in  one 
single  instance  have  I  observed  any  form  of  insect  in  the  very 
many  crops  I  have  emptied  for  inflation,  or  which  may  have 
burst  during  the  operation  of  skinning  the  birds."  Mr.  D. 
Brown's  and  Mr.  Dunn's  evidence,  however,  must  only  be 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.  135 

considered  as  negative,  in  opposition  to  the  positive  recorded 
testimony  of  a  number  of  other  naturalists.  Mr.  Eobert 
Collett  of  Christiania  distinctly  states  that  the  young  birds 
"are  at  first  fed  almost  exclusively  on  small  soft-bodied 
insects  "  {'Birds  of  Europe!  by  Dresser,  Part  xxi.).  Mr.  Charles 
Ottley  Groom  Napier,  who  has  specially  devoted  his  attention 
to  compiling  an  account  of '  The  food,  use,  and  heauty  of  British 
Birds!  gives  as  the  food  of  the  Capercaillie  in  May,  "  insects, 
leaves,"  etc.  (p.  69).  Various  other  authors  of  repute  state 
the  same,  such  as  Lloyd  ('  Game  Birds  of  Sweden,'  pp.  4,  5). 
Indeed,  I  should  myself  be  more  surprised  to  learn  that  they 
did  not  eat  insects,  as  all  game  birds  and  gallinaceous  birds 
feed  more  or  less  upon  insects  and  larvse,  especially  when 
young ;  but  I  have  not  on  that  account  neglected  specially  to 
make  observations  and  inquiries  in  this  direction,  as  the  sub- 
ject of  the  food  of  the  Capercaillie  is  in  itself  of  interest,  all 
the  more  so  when  we  find  that  a  difference  of  opinion  is  ex- 
pressed, as  we  find  above. 

Mr.  Eobert  Collett  and  Professor  Easch  of  Norway  like- 
wise have  never  found  insects  in  the  crops  of  many  Caper- 
caillies  they  have  dissected  "in  the  season  from  autumn  to 
spring."  They  are  protected  by  law  all  the  summer  time. 
Mr.  Collett  adds  that  he  believes  they  feed  upon  larvae.  "  I 
cannot  understand  why  they  are  often  seen  in  numbers  in 
places  in  our  forests  where  only  the  insect  larvae  are  devour- 
ing the  leaves  of  the  birches  or  the  blaeberry  plants,  if  they  do 
not  feed  upon  these  larvae.  But,  unfortunately,  no  specimen 
must  be  killed  in  the  season  when  these  larvae  are  present." 

Herr  Dr.  Moves,  of  Stockholm,  writes  to  me  : — "  I  believe 
that  these  birds  (Capercaillies)  sometimes  do  as  much  good 
as  harm  to  forests.  Travelling  in  Jemtland  I  found  young 
wood  grouse,  from  three  to  ten  days'  old,  having  their  throats 
and  crops  fiUed  with  Tenthredo  or  Nemitus  larvae,  which  are 
found  on  pine  trees.     A  couple   of  wood  grouse  shot  in 


136  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Daleme  about  a  month  ago  (his  letter  is  dated  16th  March 
1878)  ha'd  pine-needles  (Finits  8ylvestris),jumpev-heTnes  (Juni- 
perus),  and  cranberries  ( Vaccin.  vitis-idcea)  in  their  crops." 

Here  is  one  little  gleam  of  sunshine.  They  must  destroy 
vast  numbers  of  Tenthredo  and  Nemitus  larvae,  even  during 
the  at'present-sujyposed  short  period  of  their  insect-feeding  age. 
But  a  question  of  interest  is : — How  long  does  this  insect- 
feeding  age  continue?  And  another  question  of  interest 
is : — How  much  good  do  they  do  in  that  time  against  the 
harm  they  do  at  others  ?  These  are  questions  the  solution  of 
which,  I  think,  cannot  fail  to  prove  of  economic  interest  to 
proprietors  of  forests,  and  which,  if  thoroughly  investigated, 
may  more  than  likely  induce  many  to  modify  their  wholesale 
condemnation  of  the  Capercaillie.  The  rook,  against  which 
species  Acts  of  the  old  Scottish  Parliament  were  passed,  now 
increases,  and  even  with  many  farmers  lives  upon  altogether 
a  different  footing  than  formerly.  Many  farmers  know  now 
that  it  would  be  a  dangerous  experiment  to  rid  the  country  of 
rooks  altogether.  There  are  two  sides  to  every  question,  and 
I  have  strong  faith  that  if  all  the  good  the  Capercaillie  does 
were  as  thoroughly  investigated  as  the  evil  has  been,  there 
would  not  be  quite  such  a  hue  and  cry  against  it. 

A  correspondent  in  Perthshire  writes  as  follows  : — "  From 
the  first  of  November  up  to  the  end  of  May  the  Capercaillie 
lives  principally  on  Scotch  fir  '  sprigs.'  Then,  from  the  first 
of  June  to  the  end  of  October,  he  lives  greatly  upon  insects, 
digs  deep  into  ants'  mounds  ^  in  search  of  food,  and  strips  the 
bark  off  rotten  trees  in  search  of  worms  and  beetles."  Pancy 
hundreds,  yes  and  thousands,  of  CapercaiUies  thus  employed. 
Do  they  do  no  good  ? 

I  have  quoted  Mr.  Dunn's  letter  fully,  as  it  is  perhaps  the 
letter,  amongst  many  others  I  have  received,  which  places  the 

1  Lloyd  directs  that  ants'  eggs  be  provided  for  the  young  birds  when 
rearing  them  by  hand  (op.  at.  p.  32). 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.  137 

damage  done  in  the  strongest  light.  I  am  still  of  opinion, 
however,  that  the  final  results  exhibited  in  certain  young  trees 
are  just  as  likely  to  have  been  caused  by  beetles  as  by  the 
Capercaillies.  If  the  buds  are  destroyed,  whether  by  beetles 
internally  or  by  Capercaillies,  whether  in  summer  or  in 
winter,  I  believe  the  results  will  be  the  same,  viz.,  as  will  be 
seen  farther  on — the  trees  becoming  bushy,  branchy,  and 
stunted. 

My  friend  Mr.  J.  J.  Dalgleish — owning  an  estate  in 
Perthshire,  and  having  between  400  and  500  acres  of  pine, 
larch,  and  spruce  plantations  of  different  ages  inhabited  by 
Capercaillies — informed  me  that  old  trees  are  not  so  much 
damaged,  because  the  birds  cannot  reach  the  terminal  shoots. 
Whenever  the  trees  get  old  enough,  and  the  birds  cannot  any 
longer  reach  the  top  bud,  the  trees  are  safe.  But  on  wood  of 
a  certain  age  they  and  black  game  together  inflict  serious 
injury.  The  result,  in  his  opinion,  is,  that  the  trees  become 
stunted  and  bushy,  and  unless  a  new  upward  growth  takes 
place,  soon  become  useless. 

Becoming  interested  in  the  subject  of  destruction  to  forest 
plants  and  trees,  I  visited,  in  January  1878,  a  piece  of  ground 
of  fourteen  acres  in  extent,  or  thereabouts,  situated  in  the  midst 
of  old  pine  wood  of  different  ages,  and  which  had  been 
planted  six  years  previously  with  pine  seedlings  on  the  above- 
mentioned  estate.  In  one  corner,  facing  the  sun  and  the 
south,  and  protected  on  the  north  and  west  by  older  growth, 
the  damage  which  the  young  trees  had  suffered  was  perhaps 
most  apparent.  Upon  this  estate  CapercaiUies  are  tolerably 
abundant,  as  many  as  four  haying  been  shot  in  one  day  by  a 
party  in  1877,  and  I  have  myself  estimated  the  numbers- seen 
in  one  day  at  least  sixteen.  Black  game  are  scarce,  and 
have  been  so  for  a  number  of  years;  but  I  have  seen 
black  game  driven  out  of  the  adjoining  covers,  and  once 
rising  out   of  the   above   enclosure.      The   stunted,   bushy. 


138  THE  CAPEECAILLIE. 

or  tufty  young  trees  were  pointed  out  to  me,  and  I  clearly 
saw  where  the  central  buds  of  the  "  leaders  "  had  been  picked 
out — or  had  dropped  off! — resulting  in  side  shoots  taking 
the  place  of  the  leaders,  and  thus  deforming  the  trees.  This 
was  affirmed  to  be  the  damage  done  solely  by  the  Capercaillie, 
which  birds  were  stated  to  stand  upon  the  ground  and  pick 
out  the  buds  from  the  leading  shoots,  when  the  trees  were 
perhaps  four  or  five  years  old,  and  had  been  planted  perhaps 
three  years.  After  reaching  this  age  the  trees  are  considered 
safe,  as  they  are  too  high  for  the  birds  to  reach  the  terminal 
shoot  from  the  ground,  and  the  young  upper  branches  and 
leader  are  too  young  and  tender  to  bear  the  weight  of  the 
bird.  Becoming  older  still,  the  terminal  shoot  lengthens 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  Capercaillie  when  it  stands  upon 
the  upper  branches,  and  the  birds  are  then  obliged  to  feed  upon 
the  side  shoots.  It  was  further  stated  that  the  trees,  in  con- 
sequence of  this  treatment  when  young,  were  delayed  in  their 
growth,  and  that  many  were  destroyed  and  rendered  useless. 
Notwithstanding  all  this  apparently  strong  evidence 
against  the  Capercaillie,  I  reserved  the  right  of  agent  for  the 
defence,  with  the  hope  of  being  able  to  pick  holes  still  in  the 
evidence ;  or,  at  all  events,  to  mitigate  his  sentence.  I  saw  a 
tree  on  the  same  property  at  least  forty  years  old  (on  the 
authority  of  the  proprietor),  which  was  standing  close  to  the 
young  plantation,  and  with  the  same  exposure,  which  was 
stunted  in  exactly  the  same  way.  It  is  needless  to  point  out 
that  that  deformity  could  scarcely  have  been  caused  by 
Capercaillies,  unless  they  attack  old  trees  also,  as  Capercaillies 
were  not  introduced  successfully  into  that  district  until  1864, 
when  the  trees  would  be  thirty  years  of  age ;  or,  taking  the 
imperfect  introduction  resulting  in  hybrids  in  1856,  and  sup- 
posing the  few  birds  there  at  that  time  capable  of  doing  any 
damage,  which  is  too  unlikely,  still  the  trees  would  be 
twenty-two  years  of  age. 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.  139 

Mr.  J.  B.  Hamilton,  of  Leny,  amongst  others,  informs  me 
that  he  has  seen  abundant  evidence  of  their  work  and  mis- 
chief, and  adds  : — "  on  Scotch  firs  of  twenty  to  tliirty  years  old. 
My  own  impression  is  that  they  are  not  so  injurious  to  young 
Scotch  fir  plants  of  a  foot  or  two  in  height  as  black  game, 
which  are  very  fond  of  the  leading  bud  in  these,  and  are  one 
of  the  causes  of  that  tufty  appearance  in  these  that  you 
allude  to." 

There  seems  to  be  considerable  diversity  of  opinion 
amongst  those  inimical  to  the  CapercaiUie  as  to  the  ages  of  the 
wood  attacked.  On  the  other  hand,  I  have  the  following  opinion 
from  Sir  Eobert  Menzies,  which  I  quote  in  full : — "  Neither 
do  I  blame  them  for  being  destructive  to  the  plantations,  a 
fault  that  is  frequently  found  with  them,  and  in  consequence 
of  which  they  are  shot  down.  So  far  as  my  experience  goes, 
they  do  not  injure  newly  planted  young  trees  in  the  same 
way  that  black  game  do,  as  they  will  not  go  to  a  plantation 
where  there  are  no  trees  they  can  roost  upon ;  they  will  not 
pick  out  the  tops  while  standing  on  the  ground,^  and  it  is  not 
till  the  trees  in  a  plantation  are  somewhat  grown  that  the 
Capercaillies  settle  in  it,  and  then,  as  they  are  heavy  birds,  it 
is  only  the  side  shoots  they  can  get  at,  as  the  top  shoot  is  not 
strong  enough  to  carry  them.  I  am  of  opinion  that  it  is  no 
fault  of  the  Capercaillies  that  plantations  of  Scotch  fir  are 
found  not  to  do  well,  but  that  a  very  bad  sort  of  that  tree  is 
now  sold  out  of  the  nurseries  that  will  never  become  trees ; 
plants  that  do  not  make  a  leader  like  the  true  Scotch  fir,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  have  no  stem,  and  abound  in  branches,' both 
above  and  below.  This  sort  of  Scotch  fir  is  an  importation 
from  the  Continent,  now  of  some  years'  standing,  and  young 
plants  are  now  sold  as  'true  natives'  that  are  seedlings  taken 
from  trees  originally  grown  from  this  imported  seed.     When 

1  This  opinion  from  Sir  Robert  Menzies  was  received  quite  independently 
of  any  suggestions  of  mine,  or  mention  of  other  people's  remarks. 


140  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

these  are  not  found  to  be  doing  well  the  Capercaillie  is 
blamed ;  but  I  think  it  is  the  seedsman  who  is  at  fault,  and 
more  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  young  Scotch  fir 
plants  are  of  the  right  sort,  when  the  plantation  will  be  found 
to  do  well  enough,  though  there  are  a  good  many  Capercaillies 
in  it." — {Sir  B.  Menzies,  Bart,  in  lit) 

Further,  Mr.  Eobert  CoUett  of  Christiania,  in  reply  to 
inquiries  I  made  of  him  regarding  destruction  done  to  forests 
in  Norway  and  Sweden,  writes : — "  In  Norway  there  is  not 
any  trace  of  destruction  to  the  forests  done  by  the  Capercaillie. 
Certainly  they  do  live  in  winter  almost  exclusively  on  the 
leaves  of  the  fir  (Binus  syhestris),  but  they  only  take  some 
shoots  here  and  some  there  ;  for  the  most  part  from  old — or  at 
least  not  young — trees. 

We  find  here  (as  well  as  in  much  other  correspondence  I 
have  had  on  the  subject)  great  discrepancy  between  the 
accounts  of  different  authorities  as  regards  the  age  of  the 
wood  at  the  time  it  is  afi&rmed  to  be  destroyed  by  Caper- 
caillies. One  affirms  that  it  is  only  the  young  plants  that 
are  injured,  and  that  the  birds  stand  on  the  ground  and  pick 
out  the  "  sprits,"  or  leading  buds ;  another  states  his  convic- 
tion to  be  that  they  "  will  not  pick  out  the  tops  while  stand- 
ing on  the  ground,"  and  that  they  cannot  reach  the  top 
shoots  when  the  tree  is  grown,  owing  to  these  top  shoots  not 
being  strong  enough  to  bear  their  weight.-^  I  cannot  say  if  it 
is  positively  correct  to  state  that  they  will  not  feed  while 
standing  on  the  ground ;  but  it  has  been  shown  or  recorded 
that  they  do  sit  upon  the  topmost  shoots  of  smaller  trees  at 
"  lek  "  time,  in  such  localities  as  are  destitute  of  larger  trees. 
Dresser  tells  us  ('  Birds  of  Europe'  part  xxi.), "  They  used  some 
of  the  smaller  trees  for  their  *  lek ;'  and  it  was  easy  to  dis- 

1  If  they  cannot  reach  the  top  shoots,  then  they  must  be  content  with 
side  shoots,  and  thus  become,  to  a  certain  extent,  nature's  pruners,  as  shown 
by  the  opinion  of  several  naturalists. 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.        .  141 

tinguish  those  which  had  been  used  for  that  purpose,  as  the 
tops  were  bent  down  by  the  weight  of  the  birds."  If  the 
bird  does  so  at  "  lek,"  there  is  a  probability  that  it  will  also 
do  so  at  feeding-time.  The  general  impression  seems  to  be 
that  it  is  only  older  wood  that  is  attacked,  and  quite  a  num- 
ber of  my  correspondents  seem  to  be  of  this  opinion,  the  dam- 
age done  to  young  plants  being  not  infrequently  put  to  the 
charge  of  black  game. 

The  editor  of  the  Swedish  hunting  journal,  '  Nya  Yagore 
ForbuTidets  Tidshrift'  Stockholm,  expresses  his  opinion  in  a 
letter  to  Herr  Dr.  Meves,  that  "  there  is  certainly  a  local 
damage  observed  and  complained  of "  in  Sweden,  "  viz.,  in 
young  plantations,  where  the  plants  are  a  foot  or  two  in  height. 
The  havoc  then  done  by  the  old  male  Capercaillie  is  some- 
times considerable."  Dr.  Meves  writes  to  me  that  his  son — 
"The  Inspector  of  Forests" — told  him  that  there  "is  very 
rarely  any  complaint  about  damage  done  to  young  plantations 
by  wood  grouse." 

I  read  and  studied  a  little  book  '  The  Larch  Disease! 
by  Charles  Macintosh  (Edinburgh,  1860),  with  a  view  to 
obtaining  parallel  hints  as  to  the  natural  history  of  the 
Scots  fir.  Eeading  this  book  rather  strengthened  my  sus- 
picions, and  the  statements  of  several  correspondents  {pp. 
cit.  p.  15,  et  seqq.)  regarding  imported  seed,  unhealthy  seed- 
lings, southerly  exposures,  hot  suns,  and  late  frosts,  having 
something  to  do  with  the  stunted  appearance  of  some 
plantations.  Accordingly,  I  wrote  to  Mr.  John  Hancock,  of 
Newcastle,  who  being  both  a  good  ornithologist  and  experi- 
enced arboriculturist,  would  be  likely  to  afford  me  good  and 
unbiassed  information. 

The  facts  I  have  gathered  from  a  correspondence  with 
Mr.  Hancock,  and  later  correspondence,  are  as  follows  : — 

There  is  a  stunted  form  of  fir  supplied  by  nurserymen, 
which  never  makes  a  tree,  but  remains  a  dwarf,  and  bears 


142  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

cones.  Mr.  Hancock  considers  that  these  plants  are  generally 
reared  from  slips  and  not  from  seed.  It  has  been  the  fashion 
of  late  years  to  plant  this  for  cover  for  game. 

Mr.  Hancock  considers  the  work  of  the  Capercaillie  as  a 
natural  state  of  pruning,  which,  in  forests  or  woods  of  con- 
siderable extent,  would  result  in  little  or  no  harm  to  the  trees. 
In  this  Mr.  CoUett  of  Christiania  would  appear  to  agree  in 
his  remarks  quoted  above ;  and,  indeed,  I  think  all  who  con- 
sider at  all  that  the  balance  of  nature  should  be  respected 
will  have  a  similar  opinion.  If  the  population  is  too  great 
for  the  extent  of  wood,  no  doubt  damage  must  ensue  ;  but,  as 
pointed  out  by  several  correspondents,  not  to  speak  of  my 
own  inexperienced  observations,  this  balance  of  nature  could 
be  preserved,  or  at  least  the  evil  remedied,  if — as  Mr.  Hancock 
says — "  all  landed  proprietors  would  plant  two  trees  for  every 
one  cut  down ;"  then  the  food  supply  would  soon  be  in  excess 
of  the  requirements  of  the  birds."  I  have  elsewhere  shown 
that  an  increase  of  the  population  beyond  what  the  balance 
of  nature  can  stand  results  in  the  emigration  of  the  surplus 
birds,  and  that  an  over-stock  of  birds  cannot  last  for  any 
length  of  time ;  a  natural  law  proved  by  the  very  fact  of  the 
distribution  and  extension  of  range  of  species.  If  artificial 
feeding,  or  great  excess  of  young  wood  be  planted,  the  birds 
will  increase  in  number  accordingly ;  but  this,  too,  wiU  have 
its  limit.  The  whole  question  appears  to  me  to  resolve  itself 
into  the  question  of  the  balance  of  nature  and  natural  laws. 
If  man,  on  the  one  side,  infringes  these  laws  by  making  two 
trees  grow  where  nature  only  grew  one,  he  must  expect  to  see 
perhaps  double  the  number  of  CapercaiUies,  because  double 
the  amount  of  food  for  them  is  supplied.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  in  many  parts  of  Scotland,  the  balance  of  nature  has 
been  disturbed  by  reckless  cutting  of  forests  without  replant- 
ing. The  consequence  here  is  that  the  birds  become  propor- 
tionately scarcer,  after  no  doubt  doing  a  certain  damage  to 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.  143 

the  remaining  trees.  Man  shoots  them  down  on  all  occasions, 
forgetting  or  ignoring  the  fact  that  he  himself  was  the  first 
disturber  of  nature's  laws. 

Mr.  Hancock  considers  that  the  stunted  and  bushy  trees 
which  I  described  to  him  will  prove,  in  all  probability,  to  be 
the  work  of  a  small  beetle  or  weevil  (before  mentioned)  which 
eats  into  the  buds.  Its  work  cannot  be  confounded  (as  already 
shown  by  Mr.  Dunn)  with  what  the  Capercaillies  do  :  "  The 
latter  cut  the  bud  quite  off,  whilst  the  former  leaves  the  dead 
buds  attached  to  the  stems." 

"  There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  usual  planta- 
tion plant  is  decidedly  inferior  to  the  native,  and  it  is  sup- 
posed that  the  seed  is  not  pure — according  to  some  authorities 
I  have  consulted — having  been  taken  from  plantation-trees 
which  are  not  true  Scots  fir,  but  hybrids  between  the  latter 
and  some  other  of  the  family,  or  else  that  it  is  foreign  seed  of 
an  inferior  strain. 

"It  is  certain  that  the  Scots  fir  of  modern  plantations  is  an 
inferior  plant.  How  much  this  may  be  due  to  uncongenial 
soil  and  injudicious  treatment,  not  being  an  adept  in  forestry, 
I  know  not."     (Dr.  Buchanan  White  in  lit.) 

Although  Capercaillies  are  said  by  Mr.  Dunn  only  to 
attack  healthy  trees,  I  am  not  sure  that  heetles  of  the  Hylurgus 
tribes  may  not  be  induced  to  confine  their  operations  to 
the  inferior  strain  of  trees  above  mentioned.  It  is  notorious 
that  many  parasitical  insects  are  more  apt  to  attack  bodies 
which  are  in  an  unhealthy  state  than  those  which  are  healthy, 
and  we  have  no  stronger  proof  of  this  than  in  the  presence  of 
certain  parasites  in  the  human  body. 

Whether  these  insects  attack  all  trees  alike,  healthy  and 
unhealthy,  native  or  imported,  soimd  strain  or  unsound  strain, 
indigenous  old  Scotch  pine,  as  at  Eannoch,  or  the  younger 
growths,  is  more  a  question  for  the  arboriculturist  and  ento- 
mologist than  for  an  ornithologist,  though  other  questions 


144  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

hinging  upon  the  answers,  from  an  ornithologist's  point  of 
view,  may^  or  may  not,  prove  of  value. 

Now,  although  the  actual  work  of  the  beetle  cannot  be 
confounded  with  what  the  Capercaillies  do,  is  it  not  quite 
possible  that  in  many  cases — I  will  not  say  in  all — the 
results — viz.  the  stunting  and  deforming  of  the  young  trees — 
may  have  often  been  caused  by  the  beetle,  and  the-  blame 
have  been  laid  on  the  Capercaillie  ? 

But  before  quitting  this  part  of  our  subject — in  which, 
let  me  say,  there  remains  still  a  vast  deal  of  investigation 
before  we  can  consider  it  exhausted — I  would  shortly  draw 
the  attention  of  my  readers  to  some  other  facts  which  must 
be  considered  in  the  connection  of  "  damage  done  to  forests." 
In  the  course  of  an  examination  into  the  "  damage  done 
to  forests  "  by  another  animal — the  squirrel — at  the  distribu- 
tion and  increase  of  which,  in  Scotland,  I  am  also  working,  I 
find  that  a  favourite  food  of  the  squirrel,  amongst  a  very 
extensive  selection,  consists  of  the  shoots  of  fir,  larch,  and  a 
variety  of  other  trees.     It  seems  to  me  difficult  to  account  for 
the  wide  differences  of  opinion  regarding  the  age  of  the  trees 
attacked  by  the  Capercaillie,  otherwise  than  by  supposing  that 
there  must  be  inaccuracy  of  observation  either  upon  the  one 
hand  or  upon  the  other,  or  by  supposing  that  both  sides  of 
the  question  are  more  or  less  right  or  more  or  less  wrong. 
I  do  not  wish  to  cast  a  deeper  shade  over  the  already  dis- 
reputable character  which  the  squirrel  bears   amongst   the 
foresters  and  woodmen  of  Scotland — its  burden  is  perhaps 
already  greater  than  it  can  bear — but  I  think  it  is  quite  pos- 
sible, indeed  more  than  likely,  that  the  difference  of  opinion 
already  taken  notice  of  is  traceable  to    the   more  regular 
attacks  of  the  nimble  little  quadruped,  whose  weight  is  not  so 
great  as  that  of  the  Capercaillie,  and  would  not  prevent  it 
from  reaching  the  leading  shoots  at  almost  any  age  of  the 
trees.     Many  will  say  at  once  that  the  traces  of  squirrel's 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.  145 

work  are  visible  upon  the  ground  under  the  trees  attacked, 
and  can  be  at  once  identified,  but  I  doubt  if  this  is  always  the 
case.  I  fancy  it  would  not  always  be  easy  to  pick  up  the 
rejected  husks  cast  down  by  the  squirrel  amongst  under- 
growth, or  the  long  heather  amongst  which  young  fir  seed- 
lings are  often  planted.  In  the  West  Highlands,  in  localities 
where  squirrels  are  not,  how  often  do  we  find  the  ground 
underneath  the  birch-trees  strewed  with  the  fresh  green 
shoots,  and  under  the  hazels  with  the  "  nut-bobbins ; "  and 
have  we  not  watched  the  black  game  busy  picking  them  off 
and  letting  them  drop?  Many  a  West  Highland  road  by 
the  margin  of  a  lake  or  arm  of  the  sea,  at  certain  seasons  of 
the  year,  are  thus  thickly  strewn,  but  there  are  no  squirrels 
there. 

It  is  true  the  Capercaillie  swallows  the  buds  whole,  and 
differs  in  its  form  of  food  thus  far  from  the  squirrel,  but  I 
think  it  unfair  to  the  bird  to  put  all  the  blame  upon  it  for 
the  "  stunting "  and  "  bushing  "  of  the  trees,  old  or  young, 
without  taking  into  consideration  the  other  causes  of  the 
damage  done.  How  much  damage,  done  really  by  the 
squirrel,  is  laid  to  the  charge  of  the  Capercaillie  ?  How 
much  easier  is  it  to  see  a  Capercaillie  in  a  young  fir  planta- 
tion, in  which  the  plants  are  a  foot  or  two  in  height,  than 
to  see  the  squirrel !  The  Capercaillie  rises  a  hundred  yards 
off,  and  seeks  shelter  in  the  higher  woods,  thus  proclaim- 
ing his  presence.  The  squirrel  may,  or  may  not,  make  for 
the  higher  woods,  but  at  all  events  he  more  easily  evades 
detection. 

Yet  another  cause  of  damage  to  fir-plantations  has  been 
pointed  out  lately  by  Mr.  J.  Hardy,  viz. : — the  massing  of 
wood-pigeons  upon  the  top-shoots  of  young  spruces  and  firs 
{in  lit) ;  but  I  merely  indicate  these  here  to  show  that  a 
much  more  exhaustive  inquiry  into  the  causes  of  damage  to 

L 


146  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

forests  is  necessary,  before  the  amount  due  to  each  agent  in  it 
can  be  assigned  with  justice  and  impartiality. 

Finally,  on  the  subject  of  food.  According  to  authors  and 
correspondents  : — In  summer  the  food  of  the  Capercaillie  con- 
sists of  various  plants,  fern-shoots,  and  buds  of  trees,  such  as 
alder,  birch,  and  hazel,  and  acorns,  where  procurable ;  almost 
all  Sorts  of  berries,  such  as  cranberries,  cowberries,  blaeber- 
ries, wild  strawberries  and  raspberries,  juniper-berries,  and  of 
insects.  It  also  feeds  on  the  leaves  of  the  larch  and  Scotch 
fir,  and  sparingly  of  the  spruce.  A  correspondent  states  that 
from  1st  of  November  to  end  of  May,  or  thereabouts,  they 
feed  upon  vegetable  food,  and  principally  on  fir-shoots ;  but 
in  summer — i.e.  from  beginning  of  June  to  end  of  October — 
"  they  live  greatly  upon  insects,  digging  deep  into  ants'  mounds 
in  search  of  food,  and  stripping  off  the  bark  of  rotten  prostrate 
trees,  looking  for  worms  or  beetles." 

So  also  do  its  congeners  black  game  and  grouse.  "  During 
spring  and  summer  the  black  cock,  as  Mr.  Lloyd  informs  us, 
feeds  upon  birch  buds,  tender  leaves  .  .  .  berries,  etc., 
and  on  insects  and  larvae." 

I  will  be  glad  if  what  I  have  said  above  will  lead  to  a  * 
more  thorough  investigation  of  the  statistics  of  damages  done 
to  forests,  1st,  solely  by  Capercaillie ;  2d,  solely  by  squirrels ; 
3<i,  solely  by  insects ;  Ath,  solely  by  wood  pigeons ;  and  ^th, 
solely  by  black  game.  Each  of  these  subjects  might  well 
deserve  separate  and  exhaustive  treatment,  but  in  such  an 
investigation  it  is  needless  to  say  every  separate  act  of 
destruction  or  damage  should  be  distinctly  and  clearly  brought 
home  to  one  of  the  agents,  and  every  side  of  the  question  be 
critically  examined.  Until  actual,  positive,  unquestionable, 
and  distinct  evidence,  and  a  large  mass  of  carefuUy  collected 
statistics  be  brought  together,  and  viewed  from  every  possible 
aspect,  we  cannot,  I  consider,  with  justice  assign  the  amount 
of  damage  done  to  any  one  of  these  agents  in  particular. 


DAMAGE  TO  FORESTS.  147 

Deeply  aware  of  the  imperfections  of  this  part  of  the 
subject,  I  still  hope  it  may  lead  to  a  more  perfect  treat- 
ment of  it.^ 

^  Since  the  above  was  written  I  have  received  a  report  upon  the  contents 
of  four  crops  of  Capercaillies  from  Dr.  Buchanan  White,  but  as  these  are, 
except  in  one  case,  unaccompanied  by  dates,  they  are  not  of  much  service. 
Three  contained  fir-needles,  and  a  few  buds  and  small  stones.  The  fourth 
(7th  October  1878)  "  a  very  little  reddish  grumous  matter."  As  already 
seen,  we  want  reports  upon  crops  of  birds  Mlled  in  summer,  and  both  of  old 
birds  and  young,  and  without  dates  these  reports  are  next  to  useless. 


CHAPTEK  XXV. 

DAMAGE  TO  GRAIN. 

As  to  the  damage  done  to  grain,  it  certainly  appears  to  be  con- 
siderable where  they  frequent  standing  fields  of  corn.  In 
the  Crieff  and  Comrie  district  I  have  it  from  a  reliable  eye- 
witness that  numbers  of  these  birds  alight  in  standing  corn- 
fields, beating  down  the  stalks  with  their  wings  each  time 
they  alight,  and  doing  incalculable  damage.  On  the  other 
hand,  in  almost  all  other  districts  from  which  I  have  data,  I 
am  told  that  they  are  either  "  seldom  if  ever,"  or  "  never," 
seen  in  corn-fields.  I  am  bound  to  say,  however,  that  these 
latter  reports  do  not  emanate  in  most  cases  from  parties  who 
might  take  an  impartial  view  of  the  matter,  or  from  agricul- 
turists who  might  not  be  blind  to  their  shortcomings ;  and 
upon  this  point  I  still  require  data  before  arriving  at  conclu- 
sions. Meanwhile,  I  think  it  is  safe  to  consider  that  any 
such  damage  is  extremely  local,  and  not  general.  A  corre- 
spondent in  Glenalmond  informs  me  that  the  taste  for  grain 
has  only  lately  been  developed  there.  He  says  they  are  now 
beginning  to  feed  upon  the  stocks  on  Balgowan  estate  (1877), 
and  he  adds  with  natural  gladness,  being  a  person  interested 
in  their  welfare,  "  It  wiU  then  be  easier  to  rear  them."  -^ 

Never  have  we  heard  that  Capercaillies  in  a  wild  native 

^  The  gamekeeper  on  Balgowan,  however,  has  never  seen  them  on  arable 
ground,  nor  has  he  ever  found  grain  in  their  crops. 


DAMAGE  TO  GRAIN.  149 

state — as  in  Norway,  Sweden,  or  Eussia — have  ever  done 
damage  to  crops  at  any  time,  and  I  am  borne  out  in  this  by 
several  letters  from  Norwegian  and  Swedish  naturalists. 

Naturally  the  CapercaiUie  is  a  tame  bird,  at  least  in 
Scotland,  since  the  restoration  of  the  species,  but  where  much 
disturbed  or  shot  at,  they  soon  learn  to  take  care  of  themselves, 
and  do  so  very  effectually  on  the  whole.  In  the  nesting  sea- 
son they  become  often  very  tame,  allowing  passers-by  to  .stand 
still  and  inspect  them  at  a  distance  of  a  few  paces.^  It  is 
usually,  however,  most  difficult  in  an  ordinary  day's  walk 
through  the  old  fir  woods  to  obtain  a  shot  at  them,  and  it  is 
by  driving  the  covers  that  they  are  usually  kiUed  in  greatest 
numbers.  I  am  not  aware  that  the  method — in  practice  in 
Norway  and  the  north  of  Europe — of  hunting  them  with  a 
dog,  and  approaching  after  the  birds  are  "  treed,"  is  much  in 
practice  anjrwhere  in  Scotland,  although  occasionally  sports- 
men stalk  them  with  pea-rifle  in  hand.  Mr.  E.  Anderson,  of 
Dunkeld,  gives  me  an  amusing  account  of  the  squirrel-like 
actions  of  a  hen  CapercaiUie  when  caught  napping  in  a  thick 
fir,  dodging  round  the  tree  stem,  and  preferring  this  method 
to  that  of  escaping  by  flight.  It  is  under  such  circumstances 
sufficiently  exciting  and  interesting  sport,  and  worthy  of  a 
good  marksman. 

^  On  SaucMe  property,  in  Stirlingshire,  a  cock  bird — one  of  the  first  that 
arrived  there — used  boldly  to  attack  any  girl  or  woman  passing  along  the 
avenue,  close  to  which,  and  within  100  yards  of  the  house,  two  hen  birds  were 
at  the  time  sitting  on  eggs,  and  several  times  allowed  himself  to  get  caught. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

CONCLUSION. 

I  HAVE  now  brought  together  all  the  information  I  have 
been  able  to  collect  upon  these  points  in  the  history  of 
the  Capercaillie,  which  presented  themselves  to  my  mind 
as  most  worthy  of  attention  in  this  country.  I  am,  I  trust, 
aware  of  my  own  imperfections  in  arranging  these  materials, 
and  planning  the  form  in  which  to  lay  them  before  my 
readers.  I  am  aware  especially  of  the  unfinished  state  of 
the  last  two  chapters — perhaps  the  most  interesting  to  the 
landed  proprietor  and  forester — but  as  I  waited  long  after 
the  other  portions  were  brought  up  to  the  date  of  my 
latest  items  of  information  for  fuller  and  more  minute  data 
regarding  the  destruction  done  to  forests,  but  without  re- 
ceiving any  additional  statistics,  and  the  summer  having 
passed  without  my  having  the  opportunity  of  examining  a 
single  Capercaillie's  crop,  I  decided  upon  placing  my  MS.  in 
the  printer's  hands,  leaving  till  a  future  opportunity  the  more 
thorough  investigation  and  treatment  of  this  part  of  the  subject. 
I  have  not  entered  into  the  subject  of  the  habits  of  the 
species  for  two  reasons.  First,  that  has  already  been  most 
amply  treated  of  by  abler  pens  than  mine;  and  second,  having 
had  comparatively  few  opportunities  of  narrowly  watching  the 
species,  I  am  unable  to  add  anything  of  sufficient  novelty  to 
this  portion  of  its  history,  and  I  feel  that  were  I  to  extend  this 


CONCLUSION.  151 

essay  to  any  further  treatment  than  I  have  already  done,  I 
would  be  entering  upon  the  dangerous  habit  called  book- 
making. 

I  therefore  conclude,  hoping  that  some  interest  may  be 
found  in  the  foregoing  pages  ;  and  if  the  information  given  is 
not  new,  at  least  it  is  carefully  sifted,  and,  I  believe,  in  all  the 
more  important  passages,  will  be  found  to  be  reliable. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  receive  further  notes  on  the  advance  of 
the  species,  from  those  who  may  be  sufficiently  interested  in 
the  subject,  in  order  to  keep  on  record  its  further  history;  and, 
as  already  mentioned,  I  will  be  glad  if  the  subjects  treated  of 
in  the  last  chapter  attract  interest  and  further  discussion. 


APPENDIX. 

DERIVATION  OF  '  CAPERCAILLIE. ' 

Fide  CHAP.  I.     Addition  to  Footnote  at  page  3. 

Since  the  first  chapter  of  this  Essay  passed  through  the 
press,  I  have  come  upon  the  following  passage  in  Joyce's  '  Irish 
Names  of  Places,'  which  appears  to  me  to  have  peculiar  signi- 
ficance in  the  connection.  In  his  chapter  upon  Animals  [chap, 
vii.  p.  452,  third  edition,  1871],  after  telling  us  that  "the 
transfer  of  a  name  from  one  species  of  animals  or  plants  to 
another  is  a  curious  phenomenon,  and  not  unfrequently  met 
with,"  \i.  e.  in  the  Erse] — op.  cit.  p.  456, — ^he  shows  further  on  how 
this  comes  to  be  exemplified  under  The  Goat  and  The  Horse.  He 
says  "  The  word  gdbhar  (gower),  a  goat,  is  common  to  the  Celtic, 
Latin,  and  Teutonic  languages :  the  old  Irish  form  is  gabar, 
which  corresponds  with  Welsh,  gafar;  Corn.,  gavar;  Latin, 
CAPER;  Ang.-Sax.,  haefer.  .  .  .  The  word  galar,  accord- 
ing to  the  best  authorities,  was  anciently  applied  to  a  horse  as 
well  as  to  a  goat.  In  Cormac's  '  Glossary '  it  is  stated  that 
gabur  is  a  goat,  and  golur  a  horse.  Colgan  remarks  that  gahhur 
is  an  ancient  Irish  and  British  word  for  a  horse,"  &c.  (p.  459). 

ANTIQUITY   OF    THE    SPECIES. 

Vide  CHAP.  III.  page  14. 

Professor  Newton  informs  me  that  remains  of  Capercaillie 
have  been  found  in  a  Eoman  layer  at  Settle,  but  up  to  date  of 
going  to  press  I  have  not  learnt  anything  further  than  the 
statement. 

M 


154  APPENDIX. 

FORMER  HISTORY  OF  THE  CAPERCAILLIE. 

Fide  CHAP.  IV.  page  15. 

We  have  evidence  of  the  prior  history  of  the  Capercaillie  in 
the  fact,  that  it  was  recognised  by  name  by  the  ancient  Britains, 
whose  name  for  it  was  Ceiliog  Coed.  (v.  ^  Eng.  Cyclop.^) 

ADDENDUM  TO  CHAP.  IV.  page  33. 

Longfield,  in  his  Treatise  on  the  '  Game  Laws  in  Ireland^ 
says  that  the  "  Wild  Turkeys "  of  Act  George  III.  must  have 
been  Capercaillies,  and  adds  that  they  were  not  extinct  so  late 
as  1787.  The  earlier  authors  seem  to  have  been  sorely  exer- 
cised as  to  what  was  the  correct  place  the  Capercaillie  should 
take  in  the  Class  Aves.  Thus,  while,  as  we  have  seen,  it 
received  the  names  of  *  pekokes '  and  '  Pavones  sylvestris '  and 
*  Wild  Turkey,'  Merrett,  in  his  'Finax'  (1667,  p.  179),  puts  "the 
Capricalca,  Capricalze  Scotis,"  among  the  Aquaticce  Palmipedes, 
and  Charleton  places  it  still  further  away  in  the  company  of  the 
members  of  the  genus  Anser.^ 

RESTORATION    IN    IRELAND. 

Fide  CHAP.  V.  page  51. 

Col.  Edward  H.  Cooper  of  Markree  Castle,  Co.  Sligo,  has 
made  attempts  to  introduce  Capercaillies  into  that  county.  He 
writes — 16th  Feb.  1879 — "My  experience  is  so  far  not  very 
hopeful.  Three  years  ago  I  turned  out  a  hen  bird.  She  was 
not  seen  again.  The  following  spring  I  got  a  sitting  of  eggs 
from  Scotland  ;  four  hatched  out,  and  lived  for  about  six  weeks ; 
but  I  believe  it  is  impossible  to  rear  them  by  hand.  This  last 
autumn  and  winter  I  have  turned  out  seven  birds,  but  only  one 

1  [Fide  .—ONOMASTICON  ZOICON,  Plerorumque  Animalium  Diffcr- 
entias  &  Novfrnm  Propria  pluribus  Linguis  exponens.  Cui  accedunt  MAN- 
TISSA ANATOMIGA ;  et  quEedam  De  Variis  FOSSILIUM  generibus. 
Autore  Gualtero  Charletono^  M.D.  CAROLl  II.  Magna  Britannia.  Regis 
Medico  ordinario,  &  Collegii  Medicoram  Londinensium  Socio.  LONBINI, 
apud  Jacohum  Alleztry  Regalis  Societatis  Typographum.  mdclxviii.  (4to,) 
p.  98.] 


APPENDIX.  155 

cock.  A  hen  or  hens  are  constantly  seen  about,  but  the  cock 
has  not  been  heard  of,  so  I  am  afraid  there  is  very  little  chance 
that  they  will  breed  this  spring,  unless  they  cross  with  a  black- 
cock. I  have  also  turned  out  a  good  many  fine  healthy  black 
game  this  autumn,  and  several,  I  know,  are  still  about  here.  I 
also  put  a  sitting  of  eggs  under  a  pheasant  last  spring :  they  all 
hatched  out  but  one  egg :  none  of  the  young  birds  were  ever 
seen  :  there  were  some  heavy  storms  at  the  time,  so  the  young 
chicks  may  have  perished."  It  is  hoped  and  expected  that 
Col.  Cooper  will  eventually  succeed  in  restoring  the  Capercaillie 
to  Ireland. 

EXTENSION    IN    INVERNESS. 

Fide  CHAP.  XIII.  page  93. 

Mr.  Peter — Lord  Lovat's  factor  at  Beauly — informs  me  that 
"  one  of  the  old  native  breed  of  Capercaillies  was  trapped  at 
Struy  (?),  about  50  or  60  years  ago.  None  have  been  seen  since 
that  time."  This  date  would  be  placed  at  from  1819  to  1829. 
I  wrote  for  further  particulars  and  more  exact  dates,  but  have 
not  received  any  up  to  the  date  of  going  to  press. 


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P19076 


Harvie-Brown,  J. A. 
Capercaillie  in 


Call  Number: 

QL690 

G7 

H3 

H3 


21,9076