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settled on the trees, or after having shot one down, advance to takfe' 

 it up, I should take my station in the orchard before they commenced 

 flying — placing myself where I should be least likely to be ob- 

 served, in such a position that I could load and fire without rising, 

 and let those that I shot lie till the sport was over. With these in- 

 structions, at an early hour on the following morning, I again 

 repaired to the orchard — and the result proved satisfactory. When 

 alighting on the tree, they appear exceedingly timid, and spend 

 'several minutes in looking widly around them. Not seeing any 

 thing to excite suspicion, they commence filling their crops with the 

 buds — and after waiting until they become fairly engaged in col- 

 lecting their food — then, by conmiencing with the lowermost one, 

 all on the tree can be successively shot. At the report of the gun, 

 those above your mark merely start — do not quit the tree — but im- 

 mediately recommence their occupation. This manner of shooting 

 I do not recommend, nor would I practice it ; at the present day it 

 is unsportsmanlike — and at such times, from the scarcity of food, 

 the birds are in very poor condition. The Ruffed Grouse is supe- 

 rior for the table during the month of October. At this season it 

 feeds on a variety of nutritous and wholesome berries, which give 

 its flesh an exceedingly fine flavor. By epicures the young at an 

 earlier period is considered preferable. 



