20'^* FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTfc. 



Ailer ihis separation lias once taken place, the birds, both 

 young and old, are so wild that they will rarely or never lie to 

 be pointed by a dog, unless they are found by chance in some 

 very dense brake or grass-grown thicket, in which they cannot 

 run ; and consequently there is no chance of having any sport 

 with them, after they have once ceased to keep company. 

 This, I think, they invariably do, before the law permits that 

 they should be shot. Consequently, although I have often 

 been in regions where they abound, I have never found it worth 

 the while to go out to hunt for them especially. They are a 

 bird of a very rambling disposition, here to-day and miles off to- 

 morrow, frequenting the roughest and most inaccessible moun- 

 tain-sides, evergreen thickets, and woods of hemlock, pine or 

 red cedar ; and I have never seen, and never expect to see the 

 place where a sportsman can be sure of getting a dozen shots 

 over points, or even half that number, in a day's hard walking. 

 Add to this, that if the Ruffed Grouse be the particular object 

 of pursuit, there is no chance of finding any other species of 

 game, unless it be a few Hares ; for the haunts of this solitary 

 and mountain-loving misanthrope are too wild and rude for 

 the domestic Quail, and too arid for the Woodcock. 



In autumn shooting, stragglers are often met on Quail 

 ground, in low thickets, bog-meadow edges, and the like, and 

 then they afford good sport, and often make a great addition to 

 the bag ; but the only way is to take them as you find them, 

 and if you find them, be thankful ; but never deviate from your 

 regular line of beat in order to find, or to follow them ; if you 

 do, sure disappointment awaits you. The best day I ever had 

 with Ruffed Grouse, was in the low, dense thickets on the edge 

 of the Big Piece, in New- Jersey, in the winter of 1837 ; when 

 there were a vast quantity of Quail in that region ; but I had 

 not the least expectation of finding more than a chance strag- 

 gler or two of the Grouse, With a friend, however, I bagged 

 eight brace of these birds, fairly pointed, which I consider great 

 sport, as I have never before or since seen an opportunity of 

 doing a quarter of the work, though I have taken long joui-neys 



