GROUSE. 411 



they get away altogether, or, if the dog follows at an equal 

 pace, it is generally impossible, owing to the thickness of the 

 cover, for you to follow at the same rate. Again, half of the 

 birds, when startled, get into a tree, and one can see them 

 neither in the tree nor when they leave it. So on with one 

 vexation after another throughout the early season. As the 

 leaves drop, the birds become more shy and wary, getting up, 

 often silently, instead of with their usual whirr, at long dis- 

 tances, and often flying with immense rapidity. Yet it is a 

 pleasure to kill them. They fall with a satisfactory thud, 

 they fill up one's bag, and are a very good addition to the 

 larder. A few lucky chances at these seductive birds often 

 inveigle the old and sagacious sportsman into trying them 

 once more, though they all declare that the " Partridges " 

 ought not to be ranked among game-birds. Sometimes, after 

 a fall of light snow, the sportsman may pursue them success- 

 fully without a dog. He may also occasionally have good 

 luck with a dog, on an exceptionally cold autumn morning, 

 when the birds are more sluggish than usual. 



The Ruffed Grouse feed throughout the summer on various 

 small fruits and berries, and upon such insects as come in 

 their way. They eat also small acorns, blackberries, grapes, 

 and beechnuts. On the arrival of snow, they begin to feed 

 on the buds of various trees and shrubs ; among others, upon 

 one or more kinds which often render their flesh unwhole- 

 some and poisonous. As spring opens, they often eat the 

 buds of apple trees and birches, of both of which they are 

 particularly fond. They are able to endure an excessive 

 degree of cold, and, so long as they can find sufficient food, 

 they do not apparently suffer from severe winters ; but some 

 perish, like the Quail, from being caught beneath the crust 

 of the snow, under which, as it falls, they frequently lie, 

 contrary to their habit of roosting in trees. 



The flight of the Ruffed Grouse, when well under way, is 

 very rapid, and undoubtedly these birds sometimes accomplish 

 even the first forty yards of their flight in a second. They 

 usually rise rather slowly, especially in thick woods, and at 

 first afford an easy mark, unless late in the season, when, with 



