RUFFED GROUSE. 



npHIS well-known game bird, the Birch Partridge of 

 certain portions of the British Provinces, Partridge 

 of the Northern Atlantic States, and Pheasant of Virginia 

 and the more Southern States, is distributed throughout 

 the eastern portion of the Union from Massachusetts 

 to Georgia and westward in the wooded regions of Ohio, 

 Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to the Dakotas. 

 North of Massachusetts it intergrades with its subspecies, 

 the Canadian RufTed Grouse, and it is not always an 

 easy task to decide as to which form specimens obtained 

 within this range really belong. In the Southeastern 

 States it is confined mainly to the mountainous parts, 

 rarely descending into the valleys or lowlands. 



The habits of this fine bird are pretty well known by 

 all lovers of dog and gun, and its wary nature, exceeding 

 cunning, and general ability to take very excellent care 

 of itself cause it to be regarded as one of the most thor- 

 oughly game members of the feathered race. The male 

 Grouse drums at all times in the year: in the spring 

 as a defiance to his rivals or as a call to the hens to come 

 and admire him as he struts in magnificent form upon 

 his chosen log; and in summer and autumn, or even 

 winter, as an indication of his lusty vigor and general 

 satisfaction with himself. The sound heard on these 

 occasions is like a deep muffled roll of a drum, even 

 likened by some persons to low thunder, and has a great 

 ventriloquial power. It is produced solely by the wings, 

 and these are not permitted to touch the body. The 



74 



