THE SHARP-TAILED GROUSE 245 



lem for the night prowler than if the same birds 

 were lumped together in one spot. 



Many indeed must be the failures of the coyote 

 or fox in their attempts to stalk the birds while 

 in their beds. It is easy to imagine Reynard 

 stealing into the opening in the scrub, hungrily 

 nosing the air which is faintly laden with the 

 odor of the birds, arising from their fresh tracks. 

 Sniff, sniif. Somewhere just ahead of his nose 

 are a dozen dinners. Then just as he feels that 

 he has located a victim, — biff, in a shower of snow 

 a bird bursts up beside him; and then biff, biff, 

 off they all go. From a dozen different spots 

 they start up explosively and disappear in the 

 darkness; and this time Bre'r Fox goes away 

 hungry. 



With the coming of October the sharp-tail 

 changes his habits somewhat and from a ground 

 bird becomes a percher as well. Early in the au- 

 tumn he mounts upon the w^heat-shocks, fences, 

 and grain-stacks, but later when the frosty morn- 

 ings pinch keener, he regularly takes to the tree- 

 tops. This serves two useful purposes for him. 

 From the poplar-tip, he can get comfort from 

 the sun's rays quite early in the morning, and 

 from such a vantage-point, also, he can the better 



