COMMON TO BOTH SEXES 



253 



elevation for its take-off, it more commonly takes a few running steps before launching into 

 flight. The gradual nature of its take-off is well illustrated when a light snow is present by 

 a series of four or five wing-tip impressions which successively lessen in distinctness. 



Gardiner Bump 



WING-TIP IMPRESSIONS LEFT IN SNOW WHERE GROUSE HAD TAKEN OFF 



A fact not so well known, however, is that, when not alarmed, the grouse may fly very 

 silently. Audubon^ recognized this, but later writers have more often left it unmentioned. 

 During the present Investigation there have been many opportunities to observe the flight of 

 undisturbed grouse. These birds have invariably made almost no sound. Occasionally, birds, 

 even though disturbed, will endeavor to "sneak" away in this manner, especially if they be- 

 lieve they are unobserved. 



The grouse is primarily sedentary and its usual flights are short. That it is capable, how- 

 ever, of covering considerable distances has frequently been demonstrated by birds observed 

 flying across open areas. In the woods, it ahnost invariably flies out of sight, making an exact 

 record of distance diflicult. On many occasions, however, birds flushed at the edge of a piece 

 of cover have flown across the open to another covert. Such observations show that distances 

 of a quarter mile are traversed with ease. 



Others, however, have recorded considerably greater powers of flight. For instance, grouse 

 have been noted flying from out over a lake into the woods along its margin when the oppo- 

 site shore was at least a half-mile away. Sutton^ cites Van Cleve as having observed grouse 

 flying as much as three-quarters of a mile from one ridge to another, although he states that 

 they appeared to be somewhat exhausted upon alighting. Rutledge'^ refers to its ability to 

 make flights of more than a mile. The fire lookout on Pocotello Mt. in New York State ob- 

 served a grouse which flew past his station and disappeared in the distance, having covered 

 at least half a mile. 



Again, many instances of the so-called "crazy flight" indicate that considerable distances 

 were covered, but specific data are lacking. Typical of many similar records is that of a 



