158 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
poison from crop and intestines spread itself through 
the flesh. Grass, flowers and especially red clover are 
often found in the crop of the ruffed grouse, and many 
other plants in small quantities. A grouse shot at 
Lake George had its crop distended with the leaves of 
the spearmint. 
Few birds are more local in their habits than the 
ruffed grouse, and one who is familiar with their ways 
can usually visit the same spot in the woods at the 
same time of the day and be quite sure of starting a 
bird. A brood of birds started and scattered in all di- 
rections will be found a few hours later within a few 
hundred yards of the place from which they flew. I 
believe that a circle with a diameter of half a mile will 
cover the range of a group of ruffed grouse during the 
summer or during the winter. In spring and autumn, 
of course, there are marked changes of location, the 
causes of which are not well understood. We merely 
know that these changes take place, and that they shift 
their ground with the seasons, usually being found in 
different places in summer, autumn and winter. The 
bird has a certain place for resting—basking in the sun 
or wallowing in the dust—another for feeding and 
another for drinking. Very often it passes between 
these different places on foot, but not infrequently it 
flies. It is perhaps during their flights in new and un- 
familiar localities that they dash themselves against 
houses or other obstacles. Occasionally they are killed 
by flying against telegraph wires. 
When a grouse rises, it is likely to fly swiftly and 
