THE CANADA GROUSE. 



(Dendragapus canadensis) 



The Canada Grouse, also called the Bendire states that he has good reason- 

 Spruce Partridge, frequents the ever- for believing that the mating may last for 

 green forests and swamps and the more than one season, as he has frequent- 

 shrubby areas of British America east of ly found a pair, in the depth of winter, 

 the Rocky Mountains, and in Alaska it is when no other individuals of the same 

 a resident of the Pacific coast. In its species were near. The nest, consisting 

 southern flights it seldom passes beyond of loosely arranged blades of grass and a 

 the latitude of the northern portion of few stalks and twigs, is built by the hen 

 New England and Minnesota. on a slight elevation of ground, usually 



This bird is an interesting member of under the low branches of a spruce tree, 



the bird family Tetraonidae, which also The number of eggs varies greatly, 



includes the birds variously called bob- Mr. Ridgway says that they vary in num- 



white, quail and partridge, the ptarmi- ber from nine to sixteen. The eggs also 



gans and the prairie hen. The family in- vary greatly in color from a pale, creamy 



eludes about two hundred species, about buff through various shades to brownish 



one-half of which belong to the Old buff, and are irregularly* spotted with a 



World. There are twenty-five distinct deeper brown, though occasionally they 



species of the subfamily of grouse. These are spotless. 



are practically confined to the higher lati- During the spring and summer months 

 tudes of the northern hemisphere and the food of the Canada Grouse consists 

 are strictly speaking non-migratory. In very largely of the berries of plants be- 

 fact, nearly all the birds of this family are longing to the Heath family, such as the 

 resident throughout the year in the locali- blueberry, the huckleberry and the bear- 

 ties where they are found. berry, as well as the tender buds of the 



They are terrestrial in their habits, and spruce. In the winter it feeds almost en- 

 when frightened they usually depend on tirely on these buds, and the needle-like 

 hiding in places where their dull colors leaves of the spruce, the fir or the tarn- 

 will least attract attention, but they will, arack trees. At times they seem to show 

 occasionally, fly into trees when flushed, a preference for certain trees, and will 



The Canada Grouse, like all the related nearly strip the foliage from them, 



species, is a bird of rapid flight. The As a food for man their flesh is far 



feathers of their small wings are stiff, from satisfactory. It is dark-colored and 



causing a whirring sound during flight, strongly flavored with the odor of their 



The male during the mating season gives natural food. However, certain Indian 



a great deal of attention to his appear- tribes are said to relish them and hunt 



ance. He is quite black in general color them extensively. 



and more or less barred with white un- Mr. Bishop, in "Forest and Stream," 



derneath and above with gray or reddish .relates the following very interesting ac- 



brown. The female is not quite as large count of the strutting of the male Canada 



as the male, and is not as dark in color. Grouse while in captivity. He says, "I 



Above the eye of the male there is a small will describe as nearly as I can his con- 



area of bare skin, which is a bright ver- duct and attitude while strutting : The 



milion color. tail stands almost erect, the wings are 



These gentle and retiring birds mate slightly raised from the body and a little 



in the early spring and remain together drooped, the head is still well up, and the 



through the breeding season. Captain feathers of breast and throat are raised 



158 



