130 The Grouse Family 



of a novice. There is no drag or hesitancy about 

 it, the bird gets to top speed within a few yards, 

 and where there is thick cover — characteristic 

 grouse cover — he plunges for the thickest of it 

 like a cannon-ball. One might be pardoned for 

 marvelling how the bird manages to escape colli- 

 sions with close-standing trunks or heavy boughs, 

 but it does, and whizzes away with a neatness and 

 despatch positively wonderful to behold. Yet, 

 fast as it goes, the bird has perfect control over 

 its course, and never forgets to take advantage of 

 the first convenient shelter. It will whisk behind 

 the nearest trunk and then dart away with that 

 trunk exactly in a line between itself and the gun. 

 Grouse unnumbered have been saved by this 

 clever trick, and tons of shot have been stopped 

 too soon by the saving trees. This habit of dodg- 

 ing behind shot-proof obstacles is peculiar to the 

 ruffed grouse ; whether it be the result of educa- 

 tion, or is purely instinctive, is an open question. 

 Whichever it be, it frequently is possible to out- 

 manoeuvre it by going up to the flush a bit to one 

 side of the pointing dog, instead of directly in 

 his rear as most men do. The partial flanking 

 movement, in the majority of instances, will 

 insure a more or less quartering shot — a bit 

 more difficult than a straightaway drive, but less 

 liable to interference. 



That the shooting of this bird is difficult goes 



