"On these lek several capercali may occasionally be heard playing at the same time ; Mr. Greiff, in his quaint way, observes it then goes gloriously.' But so long as the old male birds are alive they will not, it is said, permit the young ones or those of the preceding season to play. Should the old birds however be killed, the young ones in the course of a day or two usually open their pipes. Combats, as it may be supposed, not unfrequently take place on these occasions, though I do not recollect having heard of more than two of those birds being engaged at the same time.
"Though altogether contrary to law, it is now that the greatest slaughter is committed among the capercali; for any lump of a fellow who has strength to draw a trigger may, with a little instruction, manage to knock them down. But as the plan of shooting these noble birds during their play is something curious I shall do my best to describe it.
"It being first ascertained where the lek is situated, which is com monly known to the peasants and others in the vicinity, the sportsman (if so he may be called) proceeds to the spot, and listens in profound silence until he hears the call of the cock. So long however as the bird only repeats his commencing sound be must, if he be at all near to him, remain stationary ; but the instant the capercali comes to the wind-up, the gulp, &c., during which, as I have said, his faculties of both seeing and hearing are in a degree absorbed, then he may advance a little. But this note lasts so short a time that the sportsman is seldom able to take more than three or four steps before it ceases, for the instant that is the use he must again halt, and if in an exposed situation remain fixed like a statue. This is absolutely necessary, for during his play, excepting when making the gulp, &c., the capercali is exceedingly watchful, and easily takes the alarm. If all remain quiet, the bird usually goes on again immediately with his first strain; and when he once more comes to the final note, the sportsman advances as before, and so on, until he gets within range of shot.
"To become a proficient at this sport requires a good deal of prac tice. In the first place a person must know how to take advantage of the ground when advancing upon the capercali, for, if full daylight, this is hardly practicable (whatever may be said to the contrary) in exposed situations; and in the next, that he may not move forward excepting upon the note which is so fatal to that bird. This is likely enough to happen if it be an old cock that has been previously exposed to shots, for he often runs on, as I have repeatedly heard him, with peller, peller, peller,' until one supposes he is just coming to the gulp, when he suddenly makes a full stop. If therefore a
person was then incautiously to advance ho would in all probability instantly take to flight.
"At the lek the cocks most commonly fall the sacrifice; for the hens, as well from their colour more resembling the foliage of the trees as from, the sportsman having larger and better game in view, usually escape. This is a fortunate circumstance ; as were a propor tionate slaughter to take place among the latter as the former, the breed hi many parts of the Scandinavian peninsula would soon be exterminated.
"Though this plan of shooting the capercali during the spring is common throughout most parts of Scandinavia, I am told that in Norrland and Wiisterbotten, from whence Stockholm is furnished with its principal supplies of game, that destructive practice is not generally adopted. This arises from the people in those districts having sense enough to know that if they kill too many of the cocks in the spring, there is little probability of there being a good breed during the succeeding autumn." Our limits will not permit us to enter into the details of the more legitimate chace, which will be found in Mr. Lloyd's book : suffice it to say that the rifle is the instrument used by the fair sportsman, and that in the course of his sport Mr. Lloyd observed, that when the weather is cold and the snow loose and soft, the capercali not unfroquently buries himself beneath its surface during the night season, and once in a while he found the bird in that situation in the day-time; so that the old wood-cuts of grouse nestling under the snow are not entirely without foundation. Mr. Lloyd remarks that the capercali often becomes tho prey of the great horned owl. [Bum.) As an article of food the capercali is justly admired ; and the rapidity of communication consequent upon the increased and increasing development of the powers of steam now furnishes annually the shops of the London poulterers with a supply in the spring. Some assert that at certain seasons the flavour of the bird is rendered extremely un pleasant by the fir-buds which then form its food ; but those which we have tasted were excellent. The hen, though smaller, is in our opinion preferable to the cock. In preparing the bird for roasting, the breast should be skinned and a veal-caul spread over it.