THE NEST OF THE PINNATED GEOUSE. 201 



the female is deserted by her mate, and until severe weather 

 causes them to pack, the old males and females are not 

 found again together. 



By the first week in August the young are capable of 

 short flights, although not exceeding our partridge in size, 

 and if shot thus early, which is too frequently the case, it 

 is difficult to imagine more delicious food; but they will 

 not bear keeping, and sooner taint than any other game- 

 bird I am acquainted with. 



Although the pinnated grouse seldom leave the open 

 country, yet if winter be excessively severe they will 

 frequent the edges of the timber, roosting on the tallest 

 trees, more particularly girdlings or those destitute of small 

 limbs. Under such circumstances they are exceedingly 

 wild, and the most successful deer or turkey hunter may 

 practise all his cunning and most cautious methods of 

 approach with signal failure in getting even within rifle- 

 range ; however, in a snow-storm, by putting white clothes 

 on, or a night-gown over your attire, and tying a towel 

 around your head, with facility the gunner can get within 

 ten or fifteen yards of them. 



When flushed, prairie chicken invariably utter several 

 separate clucks, but after they have succeeded in placing a 

 safe distance between themselves and the intruder they con- 

 tinue their course in silence ; nor if when on the wing they 

 should chance to fly over a sportsman do they repeat their 

 note of alarm. 



Their favourite food is buckwheat, corn, oats, wheat, and 

 grass- seed, the buds of fruit trees and the seed of the- 

 sumach. 



