no The Grouse Family 



Some of these birds may betray a confiding trust 

 which may astonish a tenderfoot, but once they 

 realize their mistake and turn on the full voltage, 

 they go like all possessed. 



The habits of the grouse vary somewhat in 

 different localities, but as a general rule it is to 

 be found in what is termed heavy cover, usually 

 another name for the worst there is in that partic- 

 ular section. A snarl of thickets, swamps, dense 

 second growth, brier patches, heavy woods, beech 

 ridges, dark ravines, forested hill and mountain 

 sides, the brushy banks of streams — each and 

 all find favor with the strong, swift fliers, and right 

 well do they know how to make the most of every 

 protective feature of their chosen ground. 



The love-making of the grouse is precisely 

 what might be expected of so game and vigorous 

 a fellow. He chooses some spot which suits his 

 fancy, and from it sends notice to all males and 

 females within hearing that he is open to engage- 

 ment — either way, love or w^ar, or both. He 

 usually gets both. The challenge is not a vocal 

 effort, but the well-known drumming, a most 

 peculiar sound. 



Perhaps nothing connected with the ways of 

 game birds has caused more discussion in and 

 out of print, or more bitter controversies, than this 

 same drumming. One of the chief causes of the 

 misunderstanding was the ignorance of the men 



