Page:Christmas Fireside Stories.djvu/80

 A DAY WITH THE CAPERCAILZIES. Early in May—this was long before the game laws had been hatched—wc started on our way to Skjærsjohaug, according to local tradition the place where wc were most likely to see the capercallzies and theJr play. 1 There were four of us,— my friend the captain, myself, an old sportsman from Sognedale, called Peter Sandåker, and a smirt boy, who had charge of two brace of hounds. Wc were to try for a hare, as soon as our sport with the capercailzies was over. Down in the valley spring had fairly set in, but when wc reached the top of the hill, wc found snow still lying on the ground and in deep drifts in the hollows. The evening was still very warm, and the birds in the woods were singing in praise of spring. When wc came near the Ask Dairy,2 where wc intended to spend the night, wc turned off into Skjær sjohaug, a hill well known to every sportsman who has roamed through these woods. Wc made for this hill for the purpose of finding out where the capercailzies wcnt to roost for the night. When wc reached the top of the hill wc had a fine view before us. The sun was about to set, and east his golden beams across a cloudless sky. The landscape before us was not of a friendly or inviting character ; dark forcsts stretched interminably over the 1 In the pairing season the capercailzie cock stations himsclf in a fir-tree and commences his love song, or "play." as it i, termed in Norway, to a*tract the heas about him. He begins his play with a call something rescmbling, Peller, peller, peller, which he repeats at short intervals for about a n mute ; he then måkes a sort of gobble in his throat, and finishes with snapping his beak. During the latter part of his performance, his head is thrown up, his eycs are partially closed, and his faculties much absorbei. This is the bt st time to approach him. 2 I» the summer months the Norwegian farmers s< nd thcir cattle up to their mountain pastures, very often many miles from the farmhouses. Each farmer has there his " sæter" or dairy, a small buildin ; where the milk is kept and the butter and cheese are made, and where the dairy maid lives during these months. For the rest of the year these dairies are deserted.