Franklin's CiroUSe {Camickitcs Jraukmi) 



Range: Southern Alaska, central British Columbia, and west-central Alberta 

 south to northern Oregon, central Idaho, and western Montana. 



IVanklin's grouse was first described by Lewis and Clarke, who saw it in Idaho 

 while on their memorable trip to the Pacific coast. While thus known for more 

 than a century, surj^risingly little has been recorded concerning its mode of life. 

 I'Voni tiie close similarity it bears to the spruce partridge of the cast, it no doubt 

 possesses very similar habits. At least it has the same confiding disposition as that 

 ^ird, as is attested by the fact that its habit of standing in amazed curiosity to watch 

 liie movements of an approaciiing foe intent on its destruction has earned it the 

 contemptuous epithet of "fool hen." Like our rufTed grouse, this bird is a drum- 

 mer, but instead of sounding the roll from rock or log, the male drums, according 

 to Dawson, by rapidly beating the air with his wings as he slowly sinks from some 

 elevated station or mounts upwards to it. 



Spruce Grouse {Canaclutcs canadeyisis canace) 



Range : Manitoba, southern Ontario, and New Brunswick south to northern 

 parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and New England. 



The history of the spruce partridge must be written mostly in the past tense, 

 so far at least as the United States is concerned. It used to be common in Michi- 

 gan, the Adirondack region of New York, and in northern New England, but in 

 all three districts is now either rare or altogether wanting. The unsuspicious 

 nature of this grouse and its total obliviousness to danger from human beings, or 

 rather inhuman beings, probably had more to do with its sad end than anything 

 else. It is said that when a flock was surprised in trees, one after another could 

 be shot down till the last one was gone. As the grouse is practically non-migratory, 

 its preservation depends solely on the states in which it lives, and upon them 

 must rest the responsibility for its fate. 



883 



