Food and Water 131 



per cent; fiber— 30.1 per cent; ash— 1.5 per cent. R. copallina (Wright, 

 1940): water— 4.1 per cent; protein— 4.9 per cent; fat— 11.2 per cent; 

 nitrogen-free extract— 46.6 per cent; fiber— 31.0 per cent; ash— 2.3 

 per cent. The amount of fat is surprising, being exceeded in only a 

 few other species such as Fagus and Juglans. This may explain why 

 this seemingly rather unpalatable food is so well liked by wild life. 



Wild Roses (Rosa spp.) 



Species utilized: Because of tlie difBculty of identifying the spe- 

 cies of rose represented by the remains found in grouse crops or 

 gizzards, and because the classification of these plants is rather con- 

 fused, the records give only the genus. It is probable that fruits of 

 any of the roses found in grouse habitat are eaten; at least we do not 

 know that any species are not used ( see Plate 25C ) . 



Seasonal importance: Fall, winter, and early spring. 



Parts used: Fruit (hips) and, to a minor extent, the leaves. 



Geogiaphical importance: The records indicate that this genus 

 is more important as a food producer for grouse in Virginia than 

 farther north. In Pennsylvania it appears to be definitely secondary, 

 while in New York and New England it is faiily consistently used, 

 and composes around one to two per cent of the fall to early spring 

 food. 



The wild roses are shrubs, often climbing to some degiee, or low- 

 growing. The flora includes both natives and acclimated exotics, 

 often difficult to identify. The fruits vary immensely in size from the 

 pea-size of those of R. multiflora to the small tomato-sized hips of 

 R. rugosa; most of the species produce intermediate-sized fruits 

 about half an inch in diameter. They are usually retained on the 

 plant the year round. The roses generally require full sunlight and 

 fairly fertile, well-drained soil, although some thrive on poor or wet 

 soils. 



The fruits, or hips, are eaten by many birds, including the bob- 

 white, ring-necked pheasant, and wild turkey, and by the opossum, 

 white-tailed deer, red squirrel, porcupine, snowshoe hare, and cot- 

 tontail rabbit. Their competition for this plentiful food is of no 

 importance to the grouse. 



Chemical composition (Hosley, 1938, for R, mtdtiflora, fresh 

 fruit): water-29.5 per cent; protein— 7.9 per cent; fat—3.5 per cent; 



