RUFFED GROUSE 



country and in the woods along streams and 

 rivers. 



The ruffed grouse is a true game-bird, 

 lying well to the dog, and giving exciting 

 sport wherever found in numbers large 

 enough to furnish fair shooting. In some 

 states he is found in the same cover with 

 quail, and the hunters there get them when 

 hunting for the latter bird. In other regions 

 of America the quail have nearly all disap- 

 peared in the grouse-country, the cold winters 

 having frozen them out or driven them to 

 more temperate portions of the country. 

 Like that of the quail, his flesh is white, in- 

 clined to be a trifle dry, and very delicious 

 eating. Like other grouse, they go in coveys, 

 although in many places they have become so 

 scarce that a single old cock or a pair of 

 birds is about all a man will find in walking 

 through the average " neck of woods." 



Their colors are dark brown, blended with 

 gray and with black, and they have a crest on 

 top of the head. The ruffs are a prominent 

 feature of the bird's appearance, and are 

 two in number, one on each side of the 

 neck. They are composed of from twenty to 

 225 



