RUFFED GROUSE 151 



The following extract is quoted from the journal of Dr. Edgar 

 A. Mearns: 



We surprised an old hen pheasant (Bonasa umbellus). She gave a loud 

 squall, and whirred loudly as she beat her wings upon the ground in front 

 of us. The little chicks, only 2 or 3 days old and about 15 in number, at 

 first piped out most lustily in their first surprise and bewilderment ; but 

 soon they recovered, and piled over each others' backs pell-mell in their efforts 

 to escape and hide. Several of them rushed directly into the water of the 

 brook close beside which we discovered them. One swam clear across, 

 another was carried a distance down the stream and then crawled under a 

 stone beside the bank. Others hid under stones and debris in the brook ; and 

 one fellow was actually drowned in its effort to hide. We found it floating 

 dead upon the water when we returned to the spot sometime afterward. The 

 old bird dragged herself over the ground with a great clucking; but when 

 I ran rapidly after her, she took to wing and flew a little way off, and for a 

 few minutes remained silent. We had captured three of the little chicks, and 

 now examined to see what sort of hiding places the balance of the flock had 

 chosen. One was packed like a sardine between two stones in the brook, 

 with its head and streak of its back visible; another was wedged tightly be- 

 tween a stone and some herbage growing beside it. Two cute little fellows 

 were found under shelving stones in the brook, running imminent risk of 

 drowning. The drops of water were trickling off of one bird's head in rapid 

 succession, and it was found fairly drenched. I verily believe that, had I not 

 rescued it from this perilous situation it would surely have died rather than 

 be discovered. 



Plumages. — In the ruffed grouse chick the entire crown and back 

 are " tawny " or " russet," darkest on the back and rump, shading 

 off to " pale ochraceous-buff " on the sides of the head, chest, and 

 fianks; the underparts are pale yellow, shading off to yellowish 

 white on the chin and belly ; there is a black auricular patch, but no 

 other spotting on the head. The wings begin to grow soon after 

 the chick is hatched and reach beyond the sprouting tail before the 

 chick has grown much. The juvenal wings are fully developed 

 and the young bird has reached the flight stage before it is half 

 grown. The juvenal remiges are " light vinaceous-cinnamon," un- 

 marked except for a very fine sprinkling of a slightly darker shade, 

 somewhat lighter tips, and darker bases. 



The juvenal plumage is at its height when the bird is about three- 

 quarters grown, for soon after that the remiges are molted and the 

 first winter plumage begins to appear. In full juvenal plumage 

 the sexes are alike and closely resemble the adult female, but they 

 are much browner above and below, less distinctly barred on the 

 underparts, and more distinctly barred on the tails, which show 

 both red and gray phases. The mantle is variegated with bright 

 and dull browns, heavily barred and finely sprinkled with black, 

 and has many broad buff or whitish shaft streaks ; the chin is whitish 

 instead of buff ; and the chest is washed with " hazel." 



