OF EG ox BUFFED GFOUSE 557 



were seen daily thereafter. . . . The old birds were fearless in 

 defense of their broods, and often the first intimation of the proximity 

 of a grouse family was the sudden onslaught of the perturbed mother, 

 who did not hesitate to hurl herself at any intruder, while her brood 

 effaced themselves in the underbrush. Very young birds usually lay 

 perfectly still when alarmed, and, if visible, suffered themselves to 

 be picked up, but as soon as their wings could support them they flew 

 to some distance when startled." 



The chicks, in observed cases, all hatch out at practically the 

 same time, and as their feathers dry very rapidly, they are able to 

 run about and forage independently almost from the start. If danger 

 seems imminent a single note of warning from the mother bird causes 

 the chicks to take to the best available shelter, as under leaves; they 

 remain perfectly quiet, and thereby become, by reason of their con- 

 cealing coloration, extremely difficult to find. For a time the mother 

 broods them at night under her body but the young gain their wing 

 quills rapidl.y and even when but a week old are able to fly short 

 distances ; thenceforth they always roost for tlie night and seek safety 

 in trees. The brood stays with the mother bird well into, if not 

 through, the first Avinter. In some instances the male parent has been 

 known to join his family (Forbush, 1913, pp. 268-271). 



According to Judd (1905, pp. 29-38) the food of the Ruffed 

 Grouse ( the species as a whole) is quite varied. The vegetable mate- 

 rial comprises about 89 per cent of the total, and the animal content 

 11 per cent, the latter being chiefly insects. The vegetable material 

 includes about 12 per cent seeds, 28 per cent fruit, and 48 per cent 

 leaves and buds, while the animal food is chiefly grasshoppers, cater- 

 pillars and beetles, the latter being most abundantly represented. On 

 Vancouver Island, Swarth (1912, pp. 22-23) says that the stomachs 

 and crops examined contained some berries but were filled for the 

 most part wath fern leaves and clover. One young bird had fed 

 entirely on small snails, having swallowed them whole. 



A specimen of the Oregon Ruffed Grouse taken near Requa, Del 

 Norte County, November 3, 1915, and now in the collection of the 

 Museum of Vertebrate Zoology held the following materials in its 

 crop and gizzard: Berries and seeds of the madroiia {Arhutus men- 

 ziesii), 5 per cent; stems and leaves of thimbleberry {Riibus parvi- 

 florus), 65 per cent; stems and leaves of dogwood {Cornus sp.), 20 

 per cent; unidentified leaf-stems and twigs, 10 per cent. Identification 

 of the leaves and stems was made for us by Miss Anna ]\I. Lute of the 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



The enemies of the Ruffed Grouse are many. Certain hawks and 

 owls, skunks, mink, wildcats and foxes are the chief offenders in this 

 respect, though man himself stands out prominently. A marked 



