OF NORTH AMERICA. 14a 
ceases. Many times the tyro sportsman has 
been sadly left, when he has thought himself 
possessed of a good dinner in an old sage 
cock. A correspondent writes: “I never 
attempted but once to eat an old bird, and I 
shall never try again, I would rather eat a 
broiled plug of tobacco; but for a fine morsel, 
commend me toa young bird in the summer. 
I could not believe such a transition possible ; 
they beat a woodcock ‘all hollow’ at that 
time.” The color is gray, variegated with 
black, brown and buff on the back, and dirty 
white below, and the neck has two bunches 
of hair-like feathers, beneath which is the 
air sac which can be extended to enormous 
proportions. The tail is long and composed 
of twenty stiff and narrow feathers. The 
full-grown cock is over 2 feet long, while the 
hen will seldom reach this measure. ‘The ex- 
tent is about 3 feet, with about the same pro- 
portion for the female bird. Weight 3 to 5 
lbs. 
When this great bird gets up in front of 
the gunner, he is apt, if not accustomed to 
the bird, to have a severe attack of ague, 
although one friend tells about kicking them 
out of the sage-brush. The flight is strong, 
and when a wild bird is started, don’t try to 
follow him, he may go a mile. 
