660 GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 



inflated bladder with a stick, the jealous male, full of 

 anger, rushes forth from his concealment, and falls an 

 easy prey to the wily sportsman. 



Some time in May, the female selects some thicket or 

 the side of a fallen log, in a dense part of the woods, for 

 the situation of her nest. This is formed merely of a 

 handful of withered leaves, collected from the surround- 

 ing and similar surface of the ground. The eggs, 10 to 

 15, more or less, are of an uniform dull yellowish color. 

 The young run about as soon as hatched, and in about a 

 week or 10 days are able in some degree to make use of 

 their wings. The mother now leads them out in search 

 of their appropriate and delicate food, and broods them at 

 night beneath her wings, like the common hen ; she like- 

 wise defends them by every stratagem Avhich affection 

 can contrive. On the appearance of an enemy, she sim- 

 ulates lameness to impose on the unwelcome spectator ; 

 while the young themselves squat on the ground, by 

 which they are secured, from their similarity to its surface. 



During summer, these birds are fond of basking and 

 dusting themselves, and for this purpose are now and 

 then seen in the public roads. When flushed, and on 

 the instant of rising from the ground, the bird usually 

 utters a cackling note, quickly repeated about half a 

 dozen times, and also before rising utters a very peculiar 

 lisping whistle. Like the Ptarmigan, the Ruffed Grous, 

 when alarmed in winter, is frequently known to plunge 

 into the soft snow, and burrow out at such a distance as 

 frequently to elude the pursuit of the hunter. Besides 

 other successful methods of destruction which await the 

 devoted Grous, snares and traps of various kinds are em- 

 ployed to arrest them. They are even smoked to death, 

 in the same manner as the Wild Pigeons, in the western 

 country, while sleeping harmlessly and unsuspectingly on 



