THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



SOMETHING ABOUT SAGE GROUSE. 



The Sage Hen, Sage Cock or Sage Grouse, 

 as it is variously called, is truly the largest of 

 the family known to exist in North America 

 and comparatively little has been written about 

 it. Its range includes the sage- bash covered 

 regions of nearly all of the western states. In 

 this locality and in fact the whole of Eastern 

 Oregon, it is an abundant and a constant 

 resident. 



Among the sportsmen of this section this 

 grouse is considered a favorite game bird, and 

 by many, it is esteemed as excellent food; but, 

 in the winter months the flesh is rank and un- 

 palatable, owing to the sage leaves on which 

 they feed during this season, which imparts an 

 unpleasant flavor to it. 



The food of this bird in summer is sage leaves 

 various kinds of berries and insects, but they 

 subsist entirely on sage leaves in the winter. 



They may be found in large flocks during 

 the winter, and until about the first of April, 

 when they begin to pair and scatter out, build- 

 ing their nests about the last of the month. 



This IS a slight depression at the foot of a 

 sage bush, lined with feathers from the breast 

 of the bird, and sometimes a few grass stems. 

 The nest is placed on the hillside. Instinct 

 teaches it to build its nest in such a position as 

 to comfnand a good view of the approacli of an 

 enemy from any direction. 



While nesting, this grouse is quite fearless. 

 It sits so close that it will allow a person to ap- 

 proach within a few feet of it. Once while out 

 hunting, I stepped within three feet of one be- 

 fore it took flight. 



The number of eggs deposited is seven to 

 fourteen of a greenish- buff color, speckled with 

 reddish-brown spots, pietty evenly distributed 

 over the entire surface. 



In shape the eggs resemble those of the do- 

 mestic fowl, in some a little more pointed, but 

 averaging smaller. Before me lies a typical 

 set of twelve taken by me May loth, 1893, 

 which exhibit the following measurements. 



2.05x1.47, 2.09x147, 2.03x1.47, 2.13x1.47 

 1.98x1,47, 2,08x1.48, 2.09x1.45, 2.07x1.50 

 2.02x147, 2.08x1,47. 2.06x147, 2,10x1,47, 



During the season of incubation the females 

 remain solitary; the males do not assist in these 

 duties, but flock together, and remain thus un- 

 til fall, when they are joined again by their 

 mates. 



About the last of May or the first of June, 

 depending somewhat on the season, the young 

 are hatched and leave the nest at once directed 

 by the cluck of the mother bird, something 

 after the manner of the domestic hen. 



Sometimes one may find the old bird with a 

 brood only a few days old, and at the cry of 

 alarm, uttered by the mother bird, it is really 

 surprising how quickly these little fellows can 

 hide and it is almost impossible to find them, 

 as their color so closely resembles that of the 

 ground and the surrounding sage-bushes. 



Their growth is so rapid, that by August they 

 are as large as quail, 



September has come and now is the time for 

 the eager hunter, the grouse are in better con- 

 dition for the table at this season, as they feed 

 principally on partridge berries, which impart 

 to the flesh a very delicate flavor. 



As winter approaches again and the ground 

 is covered with snow, they confine themselves 

 to the sage-bushes on whose leaves they feed 

 during the long dreary winter. The merciless 

 storms are beating down upon them coupled 

 with the fiiercing cold while this brave bird is 

 anxiously awaiting the appearance of the warm 

 days of spring, when he comes forth in search 

 of a change of diet. He has not been fooled; 

 he had faith in the change of seasons. Spring 

 lias opened at last, and with it came ^he ver- 

 dure of sweet vegetation. Now he may be seen 

 along with his industrious mate searching for a 

 suitable place to build their nest and rear their 

 young. 



Robert. W. Haines. 

 Baker City, Or. 



Oregon Kaolin is said to equal the best. 



