44 A VERITABLE PERCHER. 
snow shuts him off from any other kind of living, 
and he then acquires a flavour of turpentine, » 
which is anything but agreeable. Nice as he 
most unquestionably is for the pot, he is not a 
bird a sportsman would love. His system is to 
perch on the nearest branch; and so accurately 
does the plumage resemble the lichen-covered 
bark of the trees, that it is difficult and often 
next to impossible to descry him. His habit 
when perched, if at all alarmed, is to crouch down 
the long way of the branch, the head and neck 
extended to the utmost, and the throat pressed 
tightly down; when in this position, although 
the bird has been close to me, I have been unable 
to see him; and when you have fairly made him 
out, it is very difficult to shoot him. ‘ Shades of 
my grandfather !’ I hear some gunner say, ‘what, 
shoot a grouse ona tree!’ Again I say, Yes. I 
wanted him for the pot, or his skin, or maybe for 
both. But, let me tell you, he can fly if he likes, 
and I know no grouse more strong or swift on 
the wing than the ruffed grouse, when it suits his 
humour to go. I have had several spurts of 
good shooting with this same white-flesher on the 
Sumass and Chilukweyuk prairies, and at other 
places west of the Cascade Mountains, on the 
banks of the Fraser river. 
