FIELD KEY TO THE LAND BIRDS. 9) 
night they sleep on the ground in a circular bunch, 
all tails toward the centre and heads outwards, on 
guard against a hostile surprise. When flushed the 
whole flock rise at once and generally keep together, 
flying low for a short distance. Then they alight, 
on the ground, rarely on trees, and immediately each 
bird runs for cover and hides. When flushed again 
the birds rise singly, and fly in different directions. 
After a quarter of an hour or so, when all seems 
safe, the leaders call the scattered flock together 
again. 
During hard winters and deep snow Quails suffer 
greatly and often starve, as their food consists mostly 
of grain and grass seed. They require gravel also 
to digest their food, and at these times are often 
found hunting for it in stone walls and in the cuts 
along roadsides. They never go far from their own 
districts, even if hard hunted, and when they feel 
safe become so tame as to feed with the hens around 
houses and barns. Besides being hunted by man they 
are relentlessly persecuted by hawks, foxes, and cats, 
and their nests are robbed by skunks and crows. 
This is the only Quail east of the Rocky Moun- 
tains, to the south and west of which there are several 
other species. 
ca at rewCh PARTRIDGE .7CANADA 
GROUSE. Dendragapus canadensis. — Length, 15 
inches. Gray and brown above; underparts white, 
barred and spotted with black; a red spot above the 
eye; tail black, with tips and outer feathers red- 
brown. Female similar, but without the black on 
throat, breast, and belly. This bird lives in the North- 
ern spruce forests, and feeds on the spruce buds, of 
which a strong taste permeates the meat, rendering it 
valueless for food. 
3. PARTRIDGE. RUFFED GROUSE: Son- 
asa umbellus. — Length, 17 inches. Brown above, 
