A Bit of Grouse Hunter's Lore. 



At night the grouse usually sleep upon 

 the ground, and indifferently in the woods 

 or out in the open clearing if the weather 

 is dry. When it is rainy they sleep under 

 logs, or rocks, or clumps of conifers, and 

 frequently a whole covey will be found at 

 night scattered along under an old tumble- 

 down fence in the woods. In winter when 

 the snow is deep they sleep either high up 

 in coniferous trees or under the snow in 

 the open, so that just at evening it is no 

 uncommon sight to see a covey of grouse 

 diving from wing, one after another, into 

 the snow. If the weather is very boister- 

 ous and the birds happen to dive down to 

 a patch of wintergreens or clover or young 

 winter wheat they may remain under the 

 snow for several days, burrowing for short 

 distances and eating the green leaves that 

 are thus found. When a grouse is sitting 

 quietly at no great depth beneath the snow, 

 a little hole about as large as one's finger 

 is kept open by the bird's breath, and the 

 moisture congealing in large flakes upon 

 the frosty twigs or grass just over the hole 

 will easily locate the bird for a good ob- 



