ii4 HUNTING TRIPS 



is found among the cotton-wood trees and 

 thick brush which fringe the streams. I 

 have never noticed that its habits when pur- 

 sued differ much from those of the common 

 prairie chicken, though it is perhaps a little 

 more shy, and is certainly much more apt 

 to light on a tree like the ruffed grouse. It 

 is, however, essentially a bird of the wilds, 

 and it is a curious fact that it seems to re- 

 treat before civilization, continually moving 

 westward as the wheat fields advance, while 

 its place is taken by the common form, 

 which seems to keep pace with the settle- 

 ment of the country. Like the latter bird, 

 and unlike the ruffed grouse and blue 

 grouse, which have white meat, its flesh is 

 dark, and it is very good eating from about 

 the middle of August to the middle of No- 

 vember, after which it is a little tough. 



As already said, the ranchmen do not 

 often make a regular hunt after these 

 grouse. This is partly because most of them 

 look with something akin to contempt upon 

 any fire-arm but the rifle or revolver, and 



