68 Grouse. 



regular hunt after these grouse. This is partly because 

 most of them look with something akin to contempt upon 

 any fire-arm but the rifle or revolver, and partly because it 

 is next to impossible to keep hunting-dogs very long on 

 the plains. The only way to check in any degree the 

 ravages of the wolves is by the most liberal use of strych- 

 nine, and the offal of any game killed by a cattle-man is 

 pretty sure to be poisoned before being left, while the 

 " wolfer," or professional wolf-killer strews his bait every- 

 where. It thus comes about that any dog who is in the 

 habit of going any distance from the house is almost sure 

 to run across and eat some of the poisoned meat, the effect 

 of which is certain death. The only time I have ever shot 

 sharp-tailed prairie fowl over dogs was during a trip to 

 the eastward with my brother, which will be described 

 further on. Out on the plains I have occasionally taken 

 a morning with the shot-gun after them, but more often 

 have either simply butchered them for the pot, when out 

 of meat, or else have killed a few with the rifle when I 

 happened to come across them while after deer or ante- 

 lope. 



Occasions frequently arise, in living a more or less 

 wild life, when a man has to show his skill in shifting for 

 himself ; when, for instance, he has to go out and make a 

 foray upon the grouse, neither for sport, nor yet for a change 

 of diet, but actually for food. Under such circumstances 

 he of course pays no regard to the rules of sport which 

 would govern his conduct on other occasions. If a man's 

 dinner for several consecutive days depends upon a single 

 shot, he is a fool if he does not take every advantage he 



