THE CHINA OR DENNY PHEASANT IN OREGON 17 



seems to be the only one of these to be losing its ground. The reason is apparent. The 

 partridge is small, prolific, very swift and active, and owing to its size is less sought by 

 sportsmen. The ruffed grouse too, though larger, is very alert, and is further possessed 

 with remarkable protective coloration. He seems actually to thrive in partially settled 

 land where shrubs bearing wild fruits abound. But with the sooty grouse it is different. 

 He is larger and somewhat slow of flight, and in early days at least, before hard experience 

 had taught him the ways of man, was a fool-hen too. Men, still young today, tell you 

 that in their boyhood they have actually killed the fledglings of these birds with sticks 

 as they fed about shocks of wheat. Others tell of shooting whole flocks, picking them 

 off, one by one, from a fence or tree-branch, down to the last bird. They were not meant 

 to withstand civilized progression. These grouse spend the late summer in the wheat 

 stubble skirting the timber of the foot-hills, but as winter approaches, take to the moun- 

 tains. Here, high on the great, flat, tree-like branches of the giant firs, they live through- 

 out the winter, feeding upon the small needles, and, it is said, rarely if ever coming to the 

 ground. But the fir too, and with it their winter food supply, is passing before the ax 

 and forest fire. Later, from this same position, they drone their love-note of spring, utter- 

 ing, at intervals throughout the dreamy, breathless days, a stifled nazal hooting suggestive 

 of the great owls. And here again the settler's ear is attracted, and his rifle trained upon 



