SAGE HEX 571 



nil us. the leaves of asters and yarrow, and the flowers and buds of 

 Phlox, as well as ujion ground beetles, ladybird beetles, fly larvae, 

 moths, ants and grasshoppers. Beudire states that Sage-hens will 

 ■ go a long distance to get a morning feed of wheat, and that crickets 

 and grasshoppers are taken when available. Young birds are more 

 insectivorous than adults. The stomach of one young bird was found 

 to contain over 300 ants (Judd, 1905, pp. 24^25). Birds killed 

 by M. French Oilman at Pelican Lake, Modoc County, in December, 

 1915, were found to have eaten many leaves and a few young berries 

 of the juniper in addition to leaves of the sage-brush. 



This seems to be the only one of our birds that will eat such strongly 

 flavored leaves as those of the sage-brush. Because of this peculiar 

 diet its flesh becomes tainted, and is usually too strong to be eaten 

 with relish. But at certain times of the year it makes excellent food. 

 In Modoc County the birds are said to feed in alfalfa fields and 

 thereby cause some damage during the months of July and August. 

 In winter, browse is obtained from the shrubs and bushes that pro- 

 trude from the snow. At that season tlie flesh becomes strongest. 

 Although the flesh is dark colored, and in winter and early spring is 

 often almost bitter, the young birds in tlic fall are well flavored and 

 are a delicious acquisition to the table. 



The size of this grouse makes it a particularly desirable game bird. 

 In fact the bird is so attractive that neither its comparative inaccessi- 

 bility nor the ease with which it is bagged has ])i-evented its being 

 much sought after by hunters. In Mono County the birds have been 

 greatly reduced in num])ers because of their accessibility. "When 

 Sage-hens are flushed, tlie hunter marks the places where they alight 

 and usually has no trouble in walking up to within range of the 

 crouching birds. When flushed again the birds often make a turn 

 just after leaving the ground and circle back toward their original 

 location, thus offering a large and easy target. The crack of the 

 gun seldom starts them from cover, although their wariness varies 

 with circumstances. Sometimes Sage-hens seem to become confused 

 and it is said that in early days vaqueros delighted to ride among 

 the members of a flock and strike them down with a whip or lasso. 

 We have been told that in Modoc County, especially after a rain, 

 when their plumage was wet, Sage-hens have been killed with sticks or 

 knocked over wath stones, so difficult was it for them to take quickly to 

 flight. But at other times it has proven practically impossible to get 

 within range of them. 



In most parts of its California range the Sage-hen has been so 

 reduced in numbers that something must be done to afford it better 

 protection, if it is to maintain its place as a game bird. The auto- 

 mobile has enabled the gunner to enter the heart of the Sage-hen 



