552 GAME BIEDS OF CALIF OMNIA 



other grouse when treed, walks about carefully on the tops of the 

 branches, keeping on the opposite side of the tree to the hunter and 

 making the securing of specimens rather difficult. Cooper (1870a, 

 pp. 526-528) agrees with other writers in stating that grouse as a 

 rule remain perfectly motionless and that it is only by careful search- 

 ing that tlieir post may be discovered. Often when started from trees 

 on ridges, the birds will dash precipitately down into the cafion far 

 below, gliding on set wings till lost to sight among the forest trees. 



By the first of September the young are almost full grown and 

 are then tender of flesh, which is white, and are considered excellent 

 for the table. The flesh of old birds is coarser and liable to be strongly 

 flavored. 



Writing in 1870 Cooper (loc. cit.) said that the grouse were often 

 brought to market (probably meaning San Francisco) from the 

 vicinity of Napa. Doubtless they were also supplied to the dealers 

 from other localities as well. Now they are, of course, pursued only 

 for the use of the hunter himself. Their limited and rather inacces- 

 sible range has probably been the greatest factor in enabling the 

 birds to maintain their numbers in California. Unless conditions 

 change in a way not now conceivable, the Sierra and Sooty grouse 

 will continue for all time to be interesting and important elements 

 in our game resources. 



Sooty Grouse 



Dendragapiis ohscunis fuliginosus (Ridgway) 



Description — Essentially the same as the Sierra Grouse (Dendragapus oh- 

 scurus sierrae), but adult male slightly darker in general tone above and below, 

 and with less white on chin and throat; adult female, juvenile, and natal plu- 

 mages similar to those in sierrae, but prevalent tone of coloration more warmly 

 brown, approaching rusty. 



Marks for field identification — See under Sierra Grouse. 



General distribution — Northwest coast region of North America, from the 

 Sitkan district of southeastern Alaska south into northwestern California. 



Distribution in California — Fairly common resident locally in the semi- 

 humid northwestern corner of the state (chiefly in the Douglas fir belt interiorly 

 from the redwoods), east and south at least as far as Hayfork and Kuntz, 

 Trinity County; probably also to Seaview, near mouth of Russian River, in 

 Sonoma County (Grinnell, 1915, p. 60). 



Oregon Ruffed Grouse 

 Bonasa umbellus sabini (Douglas) 



Other names — Oregon Grouse; Wood Plieasant (Del Norte County); Bonasa 

 umheUus ; Bonasa sahinii; Tetrao sahini. 



Description — Adults, 'both sexes: Top and sides of head mixed black and 

 brown, with grayish feather tippings ; feathers of crown elongated and pointed, 



