114 FIELD SHOOTING. 







to our tent to dinner. On our return we came 

 upon a hen-grouse with a brood of young newly 

 hatched. Uttering a cry, she scuffled and fluttered 

 about at our feet with the most motherly cour- 

 age and devotion, behaving as if she were wounded, 

 in order to draw us off. But we had seen her 

 young ones run under the leaves of the fallen 

 butternut-tree, and caught two or three of them. 

 They were beautiful downy little things, and 

 watched us intently with their bright eyes. The 

 mother, stimulated by alarm, remained near us 

 while we held her young after the others had 

 scuffled off', and we had the pleasure of placing 

 the little things on the ground again, and seeing 

 them hide in the cover. We walked away to a 

 distance, and soon heard the mother calling her 

 brood of little ones to the shelter of her protec- 

 tion. The young are very quick and cunning at 

 concealment. As soon as they hear the mother's 

 warning cry they dart into cover, and, if there is 

 no other at hand, they will seize a leaf with bill 

 and feet, and turn over so that it may conceal 

 them. While the party remained above the bend 

 of the Cass river there came up a tremendous 

 thunder-storm, followed by a cold wind from Lake 

 Huron. Previous to the storm the cock ruffed 



