76 Grouse. 



fly strongly and steadily, springing into the air when they 

 rise, and then going off in a straight line, alternately 

 sailing and giving a succession of rapid wing-beats. Some- 

 times they will sail a long distance with set wings before 

 alighting, and when they are passing overhead with their 

 wings outstretched each of the separate wing feathers can 

 be seen, rigid and distinct. 



Picking up and pocketing my bird I walked on, and 

 on turning round a shoulder of the bluffs saw a pair of 

 sharp-tails sitting sunning themselves on the top of a bull- 

 berry bush. As soon as they saw me they flew off a short 

 distance and lit in the bed of the creek. Rightly judging 

 that there were more birds than those I had seen I began 

 to beat with great care the patches of brush and long 

 grass on both sides of the creek, and soon was rewarded by 

 some very pretty shooting. The covey was a large one, 

 composed of two or three broods of young prairie fowl, 

 and I struck on the exact place, a slight hollow filled with 

 low brush and tall grass, where they were lying. They 

 lay very close, and my first notice of their presence was 

 given by one that I almost trod on, which rose from fairly 

 between my feet. A young grouse at this season offers an 

 easy shot, and he was dropped without difficulty. At the 

 report two others rose and I got one. When I had barely 

 reloaded the rest began to get up, singly or two or three 

 at a time, rising straight up to clear the edge of the hollow, 

 and making beautiful marks ; when the last one had been 

 put up I had down seven birds, of which I picked up six, not 

 being able to find the other. A little farther on I put up 

 and shot a single grouse, which fell into a patch of briars 



