418 PEDICECETES PHASIANELLUS VAR. COLUMBIANUS. 



flushing often at long distances to fly clear out of sight, and running 

 far on the ground. They also begin to alight on trees, a habit, however, 

 not confirmed until somewhat later, when with the advance of cold 

 weather and the failure of former supplies of I'ood, they assume the 

 j'outiue of their winter life. The close coveys of the earlier season are 

 for the most part broken up, and the birds wander often alone in search 

 of food. They haunt the interminable ravines along the Missouri, mak- 

 ing away from the river-bottoms in search of food, but mostly returning 

 at evening to roost in the trees. Early in the morning they may be 

 seen leaving their perches in straggling troops, flying high and swiftly 

 to other feeding grounds ; and again in the evening, if one loiter beneath 

 the immense cottonwoods where, during the day, scarcely a chicken was 

 to be seen, he will observe their return, till the trees are almost covered, 

 and the air resounds with the hoarse Jcuk-kvk-Jclcl: Frequently, in very 

 cold and especially in falling weather, the Grouse will not leave their 

 perches during the day, but may be seen at any hour roosting quietly 

 in the tops of the tallest cottonwoods. They are decidedly not graceful 

 objects under these circumstances. They look very large, sharply 

 defined among the bare straggling branches against the gray sky, and 

 assume ungainly attitudes, particularly when standing erect on their 

 long legs, with outstretched necks and upturned tails. Their behavior 

 under these circumstances varies in a manner to me inexplicable. Some- 

 times a group thus scattered among the tree-tops will permit the closest 

 apj)roach desired, and more than one may be brought down before the 

 rest are oft" in alarm ; not seldom one may fire twice or thrice at the 

 same bird without dislodging it, or kill several without stirring from his 

 tracks. But ordinarily the chickens' wits serve them to better purpose 

 than this. As we approach, when just beyond range, the crackling of 

 the underbrush attracts the attention of one of the l3irds, which before 

 had been squatting " like a bump on a log" ; he rises on his feet and 

 twists his neck around to have a look. The rest follow his example. 

 A moment more, the warning l-ul-kuJc-l- sounds, and the nearest bird 

 leaves his perch — the cry is taken up by the rest, and the whole are off 

 to settle again a few hundred yards away, and temj^t renewed pursuit 

 that is likely to end as unsuccessfully. From the sportsman's standpoint, 

 the arrangement is wholly unsatisfactory when the birds behave so; 

 nor when they are tame is it much more attractive ; for, unless a supply 

 of meat be the only point, dropping chickens from the trees is no more 

 exciting than robbing a hen-roost. Killed under these circumstances, 

 the food of the Grouse is readily ascertained ; in the dead of winter it 

 consists chiefly of the berries of the cedar, and buds of the poplar or 

 Cottonwood and willow, still closely sealed, awaiting the coming of 

 spring. 1 have taken from one crop a double-handful of such food, 

 almost as dry as when swallowed. This diet does not improve the 

 quality of the flesh ; a chicken at this season is quite a different thing 

 from one killed earlier in the season. The rating of the Grouse as an 

 article of food necessarily varies, not only with circumstances, but 

 according to individual preferences. I myself do not esteem it very 

 highly. A tender young Grouse, early in the season, is not to be des- 

 pised, but all such si)ecially-flavored meat is likely to soon become 

 distasteful, especially if, on one or two occasions, a person has been 

 forced upon a suri'eit of it. Confined to Grouse for a few days, most 

 persons, 1 should judge, would find relief in mess-pork. 



The mode of flight of this species is not peculiar; it rises with a 

 startling whirr from the ground, till it attains a certain elevation — its 

 straight, steady course, performed with great velocity by alternate sail- 



