176 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



RUFFED GROUSE (Bonasa umbellus) 



The history of the Ruffed Grouse is much the same as that 

 of the Bob-white. Being a woodland bird, however, it has 

 survived much better in the outlying sections, and is now 

 actually the commoner species, which is the exact reverse of 

 the normal condition of affairs. It is much hardier than the 

 Bob-white, and has not been affected by recent severe 

 winters. A curious variation in numbers has long been known 

 in the Ruffed Grouse, a steady decrease followed by a sudden 

 increase or " come-back," without any apparent cause or 

 explanation. Such an increase is now taking place locally 

 in parts of northern New Jersey. Perhaps the least migratory 

 of our native birds. 



Long Island. Now an uncommon local resident. 



ORIENT. Recorded from Laurel; otherwise unknown. 

 MASTIC. Uncommon resident. 



New York State. Perhaps still existing in parts of Westchester 

 County, but data lacking. Long since extinct elsewhere. 



New Jersey. Now extinct in all suburban sections near New 

 York City. Still surviving locally at a few points within thirty 

 miles of the City, as in the hills north of Plainfield (Miller), and a 

 marked local increase is reported in the last two years at Boonton 

 (Carter). Increasing northwestward and positively abundant in 

 remote sections of the Kittatinny Mountains. I saw sixteen birds 

 on July 11, 1920 near Lake Mashipacong. 



ENGLEWOOD REGION. Long since extirpated. 



PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus) 

 RING-NECKED PHEASANT (Phasianus torquatus) 

 Both species of Pheasants have been listed, as it is doubt- 

 ful if any of the birds which have been introduced in various 

 parts of our area are of unmixed blood. Pheasants are com- 

 mon on Gardiner's Island, but a large outlay of money is 

 required to keep them so. They are also reported occasionally 

 from Orient and Greenport, Long Island (Latham). First 

 noted in the Bronx Region in 1916, uncommon but increas- 

 ing (L. N. Nichols). Occasionally seen near Englewood and 



