hit upon the wrong bear, we thought it best to make a cast over the ring; but our search proved unsuccessful, and, indeed, we did not fall in with a single head of game of any sort or kind. Towards nightfall, therefore, we faced for Brunberg, where, on our arrival, we were glad to find the bear had preceded us by several hours.

In the course of the evening, the animal was skinned and cut up. At this operation, nearly all the peasants in the vicinity of Brunberg, together with several Dalecarlians, who were on their way from their native province to Elfvedal, were present, and assisted.

Whilst this was going on, the pot was on the fire, and a plentiful repast, composed principally of the blood, liver, heart, &c. of the animal, was preparing. When the meal was ready, the assembled party did ample justice to the viands that were set before them, all seeming to think our venison was most excellent.

This was the first bear that had been killed in the vicinity of Brunberg for several years; and it may therefore be readily supposed that not a few cups were drained to the bottom, to commemorate the successful issue of the day's sport.

For the reasons I have already given, as I had not made any agreement to the contrary, this bear belonged to Elg and his companions. That being the case, I only took possession of the hams, fat, &c. of the animal.

CHAPTER XI.

Beating for a Bear.-Capercali and Black-cock shooting in the winter season. The Lynx.-The Wild-cat.-The Badger. -Snow-storm.-Return to Lapp-cottage.

As we did not feel perfectly satisfied that the bear we had killed was the one which had been encircled by Elg and his comrades, we thought it best to beat out the remainder of the ring.

The next morning, therefore, Elg, together with another peasant and myself, started at the first dawn of day for that purpose. On this occasion we took all the dogs with us; and as they were fresh, and the snow not too deep, they hunted capitally. But all our endeavours to find another bear were unavailing, and we therefore concluded that the beast we had just killed was the only one within the ring.

In the course of the afternoon, we struck over the mountain, on whose eastern face the ring was situated. The sides of this were deeply covered with pine forests; but near to its summit were extensive wastes, with here and there a few strag

gling trees, which were a favourite resort for capercali during the winter season: we, however, only fell in with one or two birds. This we attributed to the tempestuous state of the weather, it blowing almost a gale of wind at the time; indeed, the appearance of the heavens portended a heavy snow-storm was not far distant.

With a good rifle, capercali shooting in the winter-time is a fine diversion. At that season, as I have said, the male birds usually pack, and are often to be met with in considerable numbers in the vicinity of the numerous lakes and morasses with which the Scandinavian forests abound. But the great difficulty is to find them in the first instance, for one may occasionally wander a day or two in the wilds of the forest, without meeting with a pack, or even a single bird. If a pack be once found, however, the sportsman may generally manage to follow it for a whole day, or perhaps for a week together.

The larger the pack the better; for, in that case, the birds are easier to be seen when sitting on the pines. It seldom happens, besides, that the whole of the birds fly at once; in which case, a person has usually an opportunity of observing the direction which is taken by one or other of them: if, on the contrary, the pack be small, the sportsman cannot so well discover the birds in the first instance; and, in addition to this, if they all happen to take wing at the same time, when he has not

his eye upon them, he not unfrequently loses them altogether. This I have repeatedly known to happen.

One's sport, when stalking, or rather stealing, on capercali, mainly depends upon the state of the snow. If this is loose and soft under foot, and there be much of it hanging in the trees, one may usually manage to get within good rifle range of these birds; but if, on the contrary, there should be a crust on the snow, which, after rain or partial thaws, followed up by a frost, is always the case, and little or no snow in the trees, then it is far from an easy matter to approach them. At such times, from their view being less obstructed, and from hearing the crackling of the snow caused by the step of a person, they are usually exceedingly wild, and, in consequence, it is only a bird now and then that one can come in upon.

Thick and misty weather (and if it snows a little, it is all the better) is the most favourable for this sport, for the capercali then sit on pines, with their feathers muffled out like so many turkeys; and, even when disturbed, their flight is usually but for a short distance. If, on the cbntrary, the weather should be boisterous, or excessively cold, the capercali, as I have recently remarked, are frequently on the ground, or shrouded in the body of the trees, that they are not readily perceptible. If the weather besides be

tempestuous, the capercali, when they take wing, often fly for a long continuance.

When the weather is cold, and the snow loose and soft, the capercali not unfrequently buries himself, as I have said, beneath its surface during the night season. Once in a while, also, I have found him in that situation in the daytime.

It requires great management to approach a pack of capercali, as, from those birds usually frequenting the more open parts of the forest, sufficient cover is not always to be found to enable the sportsman to steal upon them. It is particularly difficult to get within range of a large pack; as, let a person take what direction he will, the eye of one or other of the birds, from their being scattered among all the surrounding pines, is sure to be upon him.

In following this sport, a person should be provided with a rifle that shoots accurately at something better than a hundred paces, for it is rarely one can get within a shorter distance of these birds. If one be at all near to the capercali when one fires, and should miss him, he almost always flies; but if, on the contrary, one is at a hundred and fifty or a hundred and eighty paces distance from the bird, he will often sit until one has emptied a powder-horn. From having a very bad rifle, I have more than once fired eight or

Made by Collins, in Vigo Lane, and sent to me when abroad, where I had no opportunity of exchanging it.