OREGON OR SABINE’S GROUSE. 
HIS is the handsomest member of the genus which 
includes the Ruffed Grouse of America. It is found 
on the mountains between the Coast Range and the 
Pacific, from northern British Columbia to California. 
Wherever its habitat approaches or overlaps that of an- 
other member of the genus it intergrades with it, and 
breeds wherever found. It is a beautiful bird, its rich 
red plumage relieved by black markings, and the orange, 
red, black, and white under tail-coverts render it a very 
attractive object, alive or dead. It is very plentiful in 
certain parts of British Columbia, and it is difficult to 
find a more striking object than this bird as it walks 
sedately before you, flipping out, with quick repeated 
jerks, the feathers of the tail, occasionally spreading it 
out to the fullest extent, and elevating and depressing 
the crest of lengthened feathers on the head. 
Great numbers are killed by the Indians, mostly 
snared, and brought into the towns and cities lying along 
the Fraser and other rivers, and to Vancouver Island. 
Its habits are like those of the Ruffed Grouse, and the 
males drum from some fallen log, and fight furiously 
in the pairing season, as has already been described. 
If the season is mild they begin to drum in certain locali- 
ties on the Pacific Coast in January or February, and 
frequently at night. Whenever I have heard this solemn 
roll after dark, which then has a peculiar weird sound, 
1 wondered at the bird’s willingness to disclose its posi- 
tion at an hour when many of its most active enemies 
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