The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-07-02
SWEDISH GAME BIRDS.
Two Varieties That Are to BE introduced
Into This Country,

Two Varieties That Are to BE Introduced
Into This Country,
There is something of interest to
sportsmen in report just received at
the State Department from Minister
Thomas, at Stockholm. The Minister
proposes to introduce into this country
the capercaiIzie and the black game.
These are the two most important birds
of Sweden and Norway. 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 be-
yond the arctic circle, as far as the
SEVENTEEN parallel of north latitude.
He can endure the severest cold and
deepest SHOWS of the longest winters.
lie often avoids the bitterest cold by
burrowing into tho snow, thus obtaining
warmth and shelter.
This bird subsiSts on the coarsest and
commonest food. He feeds upon the
buds and leaves of trees, the needles or
leaves OF the pine and spruce, young
pine cones, clover and grass, berries OF
all sorts, seed and grain, and insects of
every kind. In the depth of winter
capercailzie has been known to live for
more than week in the same pine
tree, subsisting entirely upon pine
leaves and young pine cones.
The capercailzie is pre-eminently
bird of the pine woods, or pine mixed
with birch, spruce, maple and other
growths He loves wooded hill-sides
better than wooded plains, and he must
have fresh water near by--either a
brook or pond or piece of swampy
ground.
The black game inhabits nearly the
sane region as the capercailizie. He
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 a
lustrous, metallic black in color: hence
the name. He has, however, white
stripe in his wings, and his, jet-black,
outward-curving tail feathers are much
priced as q hat ornament in the Tyrol.
The black game is also grouse, and
he is often found in company with the
Capercailzfe, or at least in close prox-
unity. The black game is also bird
of the woods, but the birch is pre-emi-
nently his tree, though he is met with
In mixed growths Of almost every va
riety. He does not frequent the deep
woods so much as the capercatlizie; he
loves better the borders of the forest
and woods and groves with frequent
openings. lie is also fond of cranberry
swamps, and in swampy lands is often
found miles away from any forest. .
His food is much the same as the
capercailzie's though not so coarse. II
consists chiefly of the buds and leaves
of trees, berries and insects. In sum.
mer the black game is very fond OF
blueberries, raspberries and cranber-
ries; in winter he feeds principally up-
on the buds of the birch, hazel, alder,
willow and beach, and when pressed for
food will eat the young green cones Of
the pine. This bird seems to be equal
1y fond OF animal food, and readily eats
snails, worms, the larvB of ants, flies,
beetles, etc.
1t is my firm conviction that those
valuable birds will thrive throughout
all the wooded districts of New En-
gland, New York and Pennsylvania,
and westward through the greater por-
tion of the States af Michigan, Wiscon.
sin and Minnesota. They will also find
congenial home along the wooded
slopes of the Rocky mountains for their
entire length, as well as in all the
wooded ravines and declivities of the
mountain ranges of California Wash.
ington Letter in st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat.