FRANKLIN’S GROUSE 137 
calities still is so, for a brood of these birds to fly into 
a tree and sit there unalarmed until the heads of half or 
all of their number have been cut off by the rifle balls of 
some passing traveler. The flesh is excellent eating, 
and in places where fresh meat is not easily to be had, 
many of these birds are killed along the trails. On 
the other hand, it is to be remembered that the country 
in which they live is sparsely inhabited by man, and 
that those which he kills constitute only a very small 
fraction of the whole number in a district. On the 
other hand, it is difficult to comprehend how these birds 
escape their natural enemies, and heavy toll of them 
must be taken by lynx, fox and wolf. 
With the destruction of the forests, which now 
threatens us, the numbers of both these forms of 
grouse must constantly diminish, but before the birds 
are too greatly reduced in numbers some means should 
be devised for their preservation. 
Franklin’s grouse is still more gentle and unsuspi- 
cious than the Canada grouse, its eastern cousin. One 
may frequently walk up to within fifteen or twenty feet 
of these birds as they sit on the ground or on the low 
limbs of trees without apparently being noticed by 
them. When they discover the approach of man they 
seem at first but little interested, but as one draws 
nearer, they are likely to stretch up their heads and look 
more carefully. If really alarmed or uneasy they stand 
very erect, holding the neck outstretched, and often 
raise the feathers on the sides of the neck just below 
the head. This habit is common to this species and to 
