RUFFED GROUSE. 79 
of enemies of the air, such as Hawks and Owls, it is diffi- 
cult to explain, unless it 1s on the principle of doing one 
thing at a time, if it is to be done well. The adult Ruffed 
Grouse feeds on various kinds of nuts, acorns, all sorts 
of berries in their season (some of them even of the 
poisonous kind, such as the sumach), and wild grapes, 
and, when these fail, eats the foliage of many plants, such 
as wintergreen, buttercup, partridge berry, etc. In the 
winter the food consists mainly of buds of the apple, the 
two birches, and other trees. 
The males of this species keep apart after the breeding 
season is over, joining the coveys toward winter. This 
species bears the cold well, its feathered coat, carried 
down the leg to the heel, affording ample protection 
against the severity of the weather. When the snow 
covers the ground, or during a snowstorm, this bird is 
in the habit of diving headlong into the drifts toward 
evening, where it remains frequently entirely covered up, 
warm and snug, during the night, and flying out again 
at daybreak. But if during the night a crust should 
form upon the snow the poor Grouse is imprisoned and 
frequently dies of hunger, as escape is impossible unless 
a thaw speedily comes. 
Its flesh, as is well known, is white and tender, but 
in the late fall or winter becomes very bitter occasionally, 
on account of the bird having fed on the leaves of the 
alder, and to many persons is then quite poisonous. In 
spite of the persistency with which this Grouse is hunted, 
and the vast number yearly taken in snares, it is still 
quite plentiful in many parts of its dipersion, and it 
would be sad indeed if unbridled persecution and 
avarice should ever cause its extermination, for then 
would disappear one of the noblest game birds known 
in our land. 
