164 FRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



of lakes, especially where the forests have been partially 

 cleared; perching on trees in the winter, but keeping to the 

 ground in summer; and, at all seasons, met with in small 

 flocks of from ten to sixteen. They are said, early in 

 spring, to select some level place, where a covey meets 

 every morning and runs round in a circle of about twenty 

 feet in diameter, so that the grass is worn quite bare. If 

 any one approaches this circle, the birds squat close to the 

 ground ; but if not alarmed by a too near approach, they 

 soon stretch out their necks to survey the intruder, and 

 resume their circular course, some running to the right 

 and others to the left, meeting and crossing each other. 

 These "partridge-dances" are said to last a month or more, 

 or until the female begins to incubate. This Grouse rises 

 from the ground with the usual whirring noise, and alights 

 again at a distance of a few hundred yards, sometimes on 

 the ground or on the branches of a tree. In winter they 

 hide in the snow, and make their way with ease through 

 the loose, drifts, feeding on the buds of the willows, larches, 

 aspens, etc. In summer and autumn their food is princi- 

 pally berries. They are said to lay about thirteen eggs 

 early in June ; the nest being on the ground, formed of 

 grasses lined with feathers. 



The eggs of this variety closely resemble those of the 

 columbianus, but are generally of a decidedly darker 

 ground. They average 1.75 inches in length by 1.28 in 

 breadth. Their ground is a dark tawny-brown, minutely 

 dotted with darker spots of brown. Baird^ Brewer and 

 Rid g way. 



