254 GENERAL HABITS 



grouse which flew into the showroom of the Briggs Motor Car Company in the business dis- 

 trict of Binghaniton. N. Y. — a point over a mile from any grouse cover, although, of course, 

 this bird may have alighted several times along the way. 



Thus it seems certain that, under sufficient stimulus, most grouse are capable of sustained 

 flights of well over a mile. 



On the other hand, the island distribution of the species* offers circumstantial evidence that, 

 at some time, considerably greater distances have been negotiated. Thus native populations 

 were present on Prince Edward, Grand Manan and Vancouver Islands, all within ten miles of 

 the mainland. But it was absent; from Isle Royal, 1.5 miles from shore in Lake Superior, as 

 well as from Anticosti and Newfoundland, 20 miles and 45 miles at sea, respectively. In this 

 connection, a noteworthy contribution is made by Millai.s^' who states that the Scotch grouse 

 of Europe has been observed flying from Thurso, on the north coast of Scotland, to Hoy, an 

 island 11 miles off shore. 



Flight Speed 



Because they are extremely difficult to secure, accurate records of the flight speed of grouse 

 are scarce. White'"" noted a speed of 22 miles per hour, apparently representing one observa- 

 tion from an automobile. To augment this information, the Investigation went so far as to 

 hold a stop watch on a number of individuals. The observer released the instrument the mo- 

 ment a bird flushed and checked it as the bird passed some definite landmark in its course. 

 Of a large number of such trials, only four proved worthy of record, one of which was rated 

 as excellent with respect to accuracy. In this case, the bird flushed from the ground at the 

 edge of a field, flew 251 feet across open land, and was checked as it entered the woods on 

 the opposite side. The course was slightly downhill. The bird covered the distance in 3% 

 seconds, or at a speed of 47.2 miles per hour. 



The other three records were secured in cover, two in slashings and one in second-growth 

 hardwoods. Because of the difficulties involved in determining just when the bird passed the 

 "marker", their accuracy can only be rated as fair. In two cases, the distance was 125 feet 

 and in the other I 75 feet. The recorded speed of flight ranged from 32.7 miles per hour to 

 48.4 miles per hour. Two further qualifications should be noted: namely, that these records 

 include the time required for the bird to "get under way" and that they represent the reactions 

 of birds under an impulse to escape. 



Apparently, then, in the open, grouse are ca|)able of attaining a s])eed of close to .50 miles 

 per hour, while in the woods, with obstacles to dodge, this rate averages somewhat less. On 

 the other hand, when not alarmed, their usual flight is much slower. 



Indicative of the speed with whicli a frightened grouse nfitn makes nil. is llie following 



incident related by Giraud''': 



"In the autumn of 1839. wliilc two of in\ fiieiids ui-ic in |)iir>uit of the American Part- 

 ridge (Quail I. their dog |)ut up a Hulled Grouse. Both jicnileinen fired at the same in- 

 stant — and seeing the biril lodge in a tree, both claimed tlie ]>ri/i' each supposing that 

 his shot had taken effect. On arriving at the spot, they fouinl tlic liird impaled on a small 

 dr\ branch, without having received a sinjrie ])cllet." 



Migration 



Observations during the present Investigation have revealed nothing to indicate that the 

 ruffed grouse is other than thoroughly sedentary in its habits. NV'hile young birds may wan- 



* See Chapter \l, p. SO. 



