THE OREGON GTTOUSE. 167 



THE OREGON GROUSE. 



Bonasa umbellus, Var, sabini. DOUGLAS. 



IABITS. The Western Ruffed Grouse was found 

 abundant by Dr. Suckley in the timbered districts 

 throughout Oregon arid Washington Territory. Its 

 habits seemed to be identical with those of the East- 

 ern birds. Owing to the mildness of the season in the vi- 

 cinity of Fort Steilacoom, the males commenced drumming 

 as early as January, and in February they are heard to 

 drum throughout the night. In the autumn they collect 

 in great numbers in the crab apple thickets near the salt 

 marshes at the mouths of the rivers emptying into Puget 

 Sound. There they feed for about six weeks on the ripe 

 fruit of the northwestern crab-apple, the Pyrus rivularis of 

 Nuttall. 



Dr. Cooper also speaks of this Grouse as very abundant 

 everywhere about the borders of woods and clearings. It 

 was common near the forests east of the Cascade Moun- 

 tains up to the 49th degree. These birds vary in plumage 

 there, a pale-grayish hue predominating. West of the 

 mountains they are all of a very dark brown. There was, 

 however, no perceptible difference in their habits or cries 

 from those of the same bird elsewhere. 



Mr. J. K. Lord assigns to this species an extended geo- 

 graphical range west of the Rocky Mountains, from the 

 borders of California, throughout Oregon and Washington 

 Territory, extending high up on the slopes of the Rocky 

 Mountains, plentiful in all the timbered lands between the 

 Cascades and the rocky ruts along the banks of the Co- 

 lumbia, over the ridge of the Cascades, and down their 

 western slopes to Frazer's River, in all the islands of the 



