82 FEATHERED GAME 



sometimes seem to be confused and may only 

 run a short distance, when if it thinks itself 

 unobserved it will crouch in the grass and re- 

 main motionless until the gunner either has 

 forced it to fly or has passed on. 



The bird in its spring plumage is marked as 

 follows: forehead and a stripe over the eyes 

 white; upper parts generally brownish black, 

 speckled with yellow and white, these lighter 

 spots mostly on the tips and edges of the feath- 

 ers. The tail grayish brown with black bars. 

 Below, the throat and breast a brownish black, 

 growing lighter toward the lower parts ; axillars 

 and linings of wings dusky or ashy; feet and 

 legs black. Such a bird rarely falls to the New 

 England gunner as this is his summer plumage. 

 As we see him in the fall the under parts are 

 ashy gray, faintly and irregularly splashed with 

 dark brown or black; top of the head yellow 

 with dusky lines; stripe over the eye grayish; 

 for the rest much as in the spring plumage. 

 The females are marked like the males save 

 that the black breast has taken on a brownish 

 hue. Have seen a few adult birds wearing 

 the breeding dress into the fall and winter 

 months. 



