14 OUT WITH THE BIRDS 



trail, and visit the places given over to the wild- 

 wood creatures, during the long winter silence. 



Even within the town, evidences are not lack- 

 ing to show that the visit is only a return call. 

 For around the railway loading platform, and 

 the grain elevators, in the heart of the town, are 

 the chain-tracks of the sharp-tailed grouse, and 

 here before the last house on the outskirts, are 

 some twenty-five of the birds themselves. The 

 owner being of a charitable turn, has scattered 

 grain in front of the house, and the birds are 

 having their afternoon meal. Some satisfied 

 fellows, fluffed up and apparently half asleep, 

 are perched on the fence palings, a few feet from 

 his door. However wild and knowing this grand 

 game bird is in October, the stern mid-winter 

 reduces him to another frame of mind. Not 

 that he needs to be dependent, for there are 

 bushels of hawthorn apples, rose hips, snowberry 

 fruit, and tree buds for him, even during winters 

 of deepest snow. He just knows that he is pro- 

 tected now, and so gratifies his taste for grain. 



Twice a day, before sunrise and in mid-after- 

 noon, they come thus to the spread provided for 

 them. They now seem to have almost forgotten 

 the twenty-day open season during October, 



