HE QROUSE OF THE 



[C grouse which inhabit the American woods 

 and mountains are the well-known ruffed grouse 

 the Canada grouse or spruce partridge, the dusky 

 or blue grouse of the Rocky Mountain region and the ptarmi- 

 gans which live above the timber line of the Rocky Mountains 

 within the United States and thence north to the arctic tundras 

 of Alaska. They are all excellent sporting birds, highly prized as 

 food and well worth preserving. 



The ptarmigans are circumpolar and always are plentiful in 

 foreign markets. 



They no longer occur on vast mountain areas where formerly 

 they were plentiful in the United States, and throughout their 

 range they have diminished in numbers where shooting is 

 permitted, for the very good reason that no species can with- 

 stand this additional check to its ^^ increase unless it be prop- 

 erly looked after and protected K ^ from its natural enemies. 



