184 HABITS OF THE GROUSE. 



the desert I had never cause to give Martin an angry 

 word. The man who drove my ambulance was a quiet 

 man, and apparently a very good-tempered one; and 

 here my praise of those who had anything to do with 

 the mules and horses must cease. 



Everything being in readiness, we made an early 

 start, and again mounted on my pony, with Brutus at 

 his heels ; Chance ranged the prairies, and again made as 

 fine points as it was possible to see. When we neared 

 any settlements, I returned to the line of march, and 

 gave my dogs, Brutus and Chance, a rest in their wag 

 gon, and, while they rested, Druid, Bar, and Alice 

 had their turn of exercise, so that they were all kept in 

 the best condition my means afforded. Their food, 

 biscuit, which I brought with me for their consumption, 

 was very good, but a great ingredient to a working dog's 

 condition was wanting, and that was flesh. Were I to 

 go to the plains again, if it could not be procured in New 

 York, I should bring with me from England the thing 

 we call " greaves," for though that commodity does not 

 answer the purpose so well as meat, still it is the best 

 substitute for it that can be obtained. 



In the two days' march my observation showed me 

 that the prairie grouse were governed by much the same 

 rule as other feathered game. Thus at daybreak, and at 

 that time of the year, they packed and sought the corn 

 fields, when there were any, for their food, where they 

 were as constantly attended by every species of hawk 

 that haunted the 'plains, the common buzzard being 

 among them, as well as the hen-harrier and English 

 sparrow-hawk. While packed and on their feed they 

 were very wild, but when their feed was done they 

 fled as far as possible from the location of the settler; 



