102 



THE RUFFED GROUSE. 



Who knows the joy a bird knows, seemed to rise into the air, and, flying 



When it goes fleetly? swiftly as the wind, we at last alighted 



Who knows the joy a flower knows, in a nest of hills, a lovely spot. The 



When it blows sweetly? moonlight was shining and strange 



Bird wing and flower stem, winged figures were flitting about. One 



Break them who would? of them challenged us, but when the 



Bird wing and flower stem, password, " Jubilee," was given he let 



Make them who could? us pass. The air was filled with the 



whirring of wings and the voices of the 



This world is very beautiful and the birdg Th seemed to be b 



birds and flowers help to make it so ge tting ready for some great event. 



When we think what the world would Suddenly a drumming noise was heard 



be without the fluttering of wings and an(j al , the birds were stilL Looki 



the carols of birds without the color at the Q e j saw a , and 



and perfume of the ilies and roses sta nding proudly there was a fine ruffed 



and the myriads of wild flowers that grouse> Soon bespoke: " Brothers of 



lift their pretty heads from banks of the se fami , , have j wajted 



dainty moss or nod to their reflection fof thig d It {s the proudest 



in the clear waters of the brook, we moment of m life> To the broad 



begin to feel what beauty they possess prairies and loit hills of America I 



and what a grace they give to our lives. bid you we]comet O , my brothers! I 



Birds have been named often from am gi ac j so many of the ladies are 



their appearance. The name grouse present, too," and then Mr. Grouse 



means gray hen, and this family of spread his ruff so wide that we could 



game birds as a whole is of this color, hardly see his head, and made several 



I must now tell you of a wonderful low bows to the grouse hens who 



thing that happened just a while ago. fluttered their sober gray, wings. " In 



You all know about the Queen's Dia- the name of all the grouse in America 



mond Jubilee over in England? The I welcome you. And now, brother and 



papers every day gave interesting ac- sister grouse, I have the honor of in- 



counts of the Queen and her people, troducing the Cock-o'-the-woods, who 



how they loved her, how they ap- will take the log." 



plauded her whenever she showed her The drumming and whirring of wings 



good, kind face to them. and cries of "Cock, cock!" that fol- 



I had said to my brother that I lowed this speech of the ruffed grouse 



wished I could see such a wonderful almost deafened us. 

 jubilee, when he replied: "Can you At last Mr. Capercailzie, called by 



keep a secret?"- " Of course you know his intimate friends Cock-o'-the-woods, 



that I can!" "Listen, then,"^ie whis- advanced to the log. Ah, but he was 



pered softly, "if you wish to see some a handsome bird! Very large, he 



things as strange as the Queen's Jubilee weight d at least sixteen pounds, with 



be ready on your wheel at 11 tonight, brilliant plumage of black, brown and 



Say not a word to any one." But white, and dark green feathers in his 



where are we going?" I asked. "That chest. The scarlet patches of skin 



I shall not tell you; if you care to come, over his eyes were very bright in the 



all right; if not, I shall go alone." Of moonlight. He looked slowly around, 



course I was ready. Our wheels bowing to the applause, and said: 



