The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-30
BIRDS OF THE N0RTHLAND
Two Famous Varieties That Are To
Be Introduced Into This
Country.
Sections Which Would Prove Most
Congenial Homes For
The Birds.
The CapercaiIzie, Largest of the Grouse
Family--The Black Game, Similar
to the Prairie Chicken.

There is something of interest to sports
men in the report just received at the state
department from Minister Thomas. at
Stockholm. The minister proposes to IN
troduce into this country the calercailzie
and the black game. These are the two
most important birds of Sweden and Nor
way. In the fall and the winter they are to
be seen hanging on branches at the market
places of Stockholm.
The capercailzie is the largest and noblest
member of the grouse family. The full
grown male weighs from ten to twelve
pounds. He is an extremely hardy bird.
In Sweden and Norway he is found in large
numbers up to and beyond the arctic circle,
as far as the 10th parallel of north latitude.
He can endure the severest cold and deepest
SHOWS Of the longest winters. lie oiten
avoids the bitterest cold by burrowing into
the snow, thus obtaining warmth ana smell
This bird subsists upon the coarsest and
commonest food. He feeds upon the Duds
and leaves of trees, the needles OF leaves OF
the pine and spruce, young pine cones,
clover and grass, berries of all sorts, seeds
and grain. and insects Of every KIND. IN tho
depth of winter a capercailzle has been
known to live for more than week in the
pine leaves and young pine cones.
The capercailZie is pre-emlnently BIRD
of the pine woods, Or pine mixed with birch,
spruce, maple and other growths.. He loves
wooded hilsides better than wooded plains,
and he must have fresh water near by
either brook or pond or piece OF swampy
ground.
He is a local, not migratory bird, though
sometimes lack of food or other causes may
drive him to extensive wanderings. In his
habits he much resembles the American
ruffied grouse--though in size he is nearly
ten times as large.
The black game inhabits nearly the same
kind Of region as the capercallzie:, tie IS
equally hardy and can Withstand the cold
and SHOWS of the most rigorous northern
winters. His weight is about three pounds
about the same as our prairie chicken.
The male bird is lustrous, metallic black
in color: hence the name. He has, how
ever a white strip in his wings and his jet
black, outward-curving tail feathers are
much priced as a hat ornament in the
Tyrol.
The black game is also grouse, and he
is often found in company with the caper-
cailzie, or at least in close proximity. The
black game is also a bird Of the woods, but
the birch is prominently his tree, though ne
is met with in mixed growths of almost
every variety. He does not frequent the
deep woods as the capercailzie; he loves
better the borders of the forests and woods
and groves with frequent openings. He ii
also fond of cranberry swamps, and II
swampy lands is often found miles ava,
from any forest.
His food is much the same as the caper
cailzie. though not quite SO coarse. 1t con
sists chiefysof the buds and leaves OF trees
berries and4nsects. In summer the blac
game is very fond of blueberries, raspber
RES and cranberres; in winter he feeds prin
cipally upon the buds of the birch, haze
alder willow and beach, and when presse
for food will eat the young green cones o
the pine. This bird seems to be equall
fond of animal food, and readily eats snails
worms, the larvae of ants, flies, beetles. etc
He is a more social bird than the caper
cailzie, and comes out more into the fields
and clearing, and nearer the abodes of man
Hundreds of times Minister Thomas
writes, when travelling through the forests
of Scandinavia, l could scarcely resist thu
conviction that.I must be back again in tn,
woods of New England. Here in Swedel
are the same hill sides and mountains, thu
same swift, clear brooks, forming in thel
rocky beds, and the same forest trees-th
pine and spruce, the birch, maple and beech
and oak and ash. Here are the same wilt
berries, too, and in Sweden you may pic
wild Strawberries, raspberrles blueberrle
and blackberries, just as with us in America
'',rhen take the two grandest and mos
useful of the wild animals of Scandinavia
The reindeer of the fields is almost identi
cal with our own caribou, and the most eN
pert naturalists have been unable to distir
Swedish elk and the moose of Americ;
The fact is that great portion OF the I'm
ted States-at least one-third, perhaps one
half-is fitted to be the home of the cape
cailzie and the black game, for there is
suitable climate, Il suitable broken countl
of hill and dale. we'll watered and covere
with suitable forest growth, and this TO
est growth together with its underbru>
and bushes, will not only provide shelt
all the food they require until they becol
as plenty as European sparrOws now are
our streets and public parks. 1t is my fir
conviction that these valuable birds W
thrive throughout all the wooded districts
New England, New York and Pennsylvani
and westward through the greater porti'
of the states of Michigan. Wisconsin al
Minnesota. They will also find congen
home along the wooded slopes OF the koc
Mountains for their entire length. as W
as in all the wooded ravines and declivit
of the mountain ranges of California, y
gon and Washington.
The fact that these birds are found amo
the hills and mountains of Europe as
south as Greece. Italy and Spain renders
almost certain that they will find congo
ial climate and nature throughout the ent
ranges of the Alleghenies the Blue Rid
and the Cumberland mountains, togetl
with their spurs. side hills and outlying fl
est districts, and may thus be easily acc
mated over large sections of the states
Virginia, West Virginia. Kentucky. II
nessee, North Carolina, South Carroll,
Georgia and Alabama. And besides t
districts above enumerated. there
doubtless many other portions of
United States we'll fitted to be the home
these magnificent game birds.
The minister explains that it will not
worth while to attempt to try the transp
tation of the eggs. That method is usua
Il failure. But he believes it is feasible
ship the full grown Birds and says t
the forests of Scotland and various loo
ties in Hungary. Austria and Germa
where these birds had been extermina
by the hunters. had been restocked in
way. He believes that a hundred cal
cailzie and hundred black game can
obtained and put down in this country
cost of 5000.
Romance Reduced to Figures
There is an English literary man who