Grouse. 95 



it is found in the short grass where there is no cover 

 at all to speak of, and relies upon its speed for its safety. 

 It is a comical-looking beast with its huge ears and 

 long legs, and runs very fast, with a curious lop-sided 

 gait, as if it was off its balance. After running a couple 

 of hundred yards it will generally stop and sit up erect 

 on its haunches to look round and see if it is pursued. 

 In winter it turns snow-white except that the tips of the 

 ears remain black. The flesh is dry, and I have never 

 eaten it unless I could get nothing else. 



Jack-rabbits are not plentiful enough nor valuable 

 enough to warrant a man's making a hunting trip 

 solely for their sakes ; and the few that I have shot have 

 been killed with the rifle while out after other game. 

 They offer beautiful marks for target practice when they 

 sit upon their haunches. But though hardly worth 

 powder they afford excellent sport when coursed with 

 greyhounds, being very fleet, and when closely pressed 

 able to double so quickly that the dogs shoot by them. 

 For reasons already given, however, it is difficult to keep 

 sporting dogs on the plains, though doubtless in the 

 future coursing with greyhounds will become a recognized 

 Western sport. 



This finishes the account of the small game of the 

 northern cattle country. The wild turkey is not found 

 with us ; but it is an abundant bird farther south, and 

 eagerly followed by the ranchmen in whose neighborhood 

 it exists. And as it is easily the king of all game 

 birds, and as its pursuit is a peculiarly American form 

 of sport, some account of how it is hunted in the southern 



