292 The Spruce Partridge or Canada Grouse, 



The plumage of the female is less developed and of inferior 

 beauty. The feathers of the head and ruff are less elongated, the 

 latter of a duller black. The tints of the plumage generally are 

 lighter than the male. 



The generic name tetrao is Latin, probably derived from the 

 Greek tetrax^ a moor fowl. The specific name is from the Latin 

 umbella^ which may be translated a " ruff." 



The Spruce Partridge or Canada Grousb, {Tetrao Canadensis.) 



The Canada Grouse, or Spruce Partridge as it is commonly 

 called, is not so abundant in the settled portions of Canada as the 

 species just described in the more retired recesses of the forest ; it 

 is, however, often met with, and it appears at no great distance from 

 the large towns. G. W. Allan, Esq., of Toronto, says he has had 

 specimens brought " which were said to have beeu procured not 

 many miles distant" from that city. 



Audubon thus describes the habits of this beautiful bird : 



The Spruce Partridge or Canada Grouse breeds in the States of 

 Maine and Massachusetts about the middle of May, nearly a month 

 earlier than at Labrador. The males pay their addresses to the 

 females by strutting before them on the ground or moss, in the 

 manner of the turkey cock, frequently rising several yards in the 

 air in a spiral manner, when they beat their wings ^aolently against 

 their body, thereby producing a drumming noise, clearer than that 

 of the Ruffed Grouse, and which can be heard at a considerable 

 distance. The female places her nest beneath the low horizontal 

 branches of fir trees, taking care to conceal it well. It consists of 

 a bed of twigs, dry leaves and mosses, on which she deposits from 

 eight to fourteen eggs, of a deep fawn colour, irregularly splashed 

 with different tints of brown. They raise only one brood in the 

 season, and the young follow the mother as soon as hatched. The 

 males leave the females whenever incubation has commenced, and 

 do not join them again until late in autumn ; indeed, they remove 

 to different woods, where they are more shy and wary than during 

 the love season or in winter. 



This species walks much in the manner of our Partridge. I 

 never saw one jerk its tail as the Ruffed Grouse does, nor do they 

 burrow in the snow like that bird, but usually resort to trees to 

 save themselves from their pursuers. They seldom move from 

 thence at the barking of a dog, and when roused fly only to a 



