THE RUFFED GROUSE 45 



pines" in such a fashion that there was no dis- 

 lodging him. 



One word as to the Ruffed Grouse's habit be- 

 fore the dog : I believe the dog is the most im- 

 portant element in the grouse shooter's good- 

 or ill-fortune. I know that many sportsmen 

 berate our hero because "he won't lay to a 

 dog." There are cases where we cannot blame 

 the bird. Neither you nor I would stay in the 

 neighborhood of a dog which tears through the 

 brush like an express train, or whose master is 

 continually yelling commands and compliments 

 at his riotous brute. It is enough to shatter 

 stronger nerves than those of Mr. Grouse. 

 Alas, the language we have heard! And that, 

 too, directed at dogs that a few short hours be- 

 fore were vaunted by their masters as simply 

 matchless in their glorious perfections of nose, 

 brain and ''bird-sense." 



For success in grouse-shooting a cautious, 

 close-working dog is the most important thing 

 in the outfit ; one that loves to pit his own brains 

 and skill against the craft of the bird ; whose eye 

 is ever alert to the slightest sign from his mas- 

 ter, realizing that the gun also has a part to 



