OUTDOORS 



head has a partial crest, and there are two 

 little tufts of feathers on the neck. The 

 tail is broad, and the legs are fairly well 

 feathered. He is capable of enduring a great 

 deal of cold weather, and will manage to 

 pick up a living in the fields, hedges, and or- 

 chards in severe winters when quail freeze. 

 He will feed on grain, insects, bugs, and pos- 

 sibly even buds, as the ruffed grouse does, 

 when hard pressed for food. He under- 

 stands the value of timber as a shelter dur- 

 ing cold weather, and will fly a long way to 

 get there from the piercing winds of the 

 prairies during winter months. He is a hand- 

 some bird, and lies well to the dogs. The 

 coveys run from eight to a dozen, fifteen, or 

 twenty-five birds. Years ago the coveys, or 

 aggregations of coveys, called " packs," made 

 flocks of hundreds no rare sight. 



The flight of the prairie-chicken is rather 

 peculiar in the beginning. When the bird is 

 first flushed he rises with a rocking, cradle- 

 like motion, his wings beating the air 

 strongly. He presently steadies down to an 

 even, sailing movement, broken at short in- 

 tervals by a whirring of broad, strong pin- 

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