OOMEWHAT smaller and darker than the ruffed grouse, the 

 O Canada or spruce grouse is by no means so good as our 

 woodland drummer, either for sport or on the table. The two 

 forms or species, which are much alike, inhabit the northern 

 coniferous forests from northern Maine to Oregon and Wash- 

 ington. The Western form, termed Franklin's grouse, is much 

 like its relative which is found east of the Rocky Mountains. 



The spruce grouse are more plentiful in Canada and Alaska 

 than they are in the United States. They are familiar to big 

 game hunters and often they are shot for food, but they are too 

 tame in most woodlands to afford good sport, and they appear 

 so stupid that they are called "fool hens" by residents of the 

 Western mountains. Many have been taken by a noose 

 fastened to the end of a fishing rod or stick, the noose being 

 dropped over the head of the unsuspicious birds which are then 

 easily jerked off the branch of the tree. Elliot says he has seen 

 birds push the noose aside with their bills when it touched their 

 heads without slipping over. 



The spruce grouse frequents tamarack swamps and woods 

 where the spruce and fir grow thickest; the leaves, buds and 

 tender shoots of the coniferous trees make up a good part of 

 their food. Like the ruffed grouse and the dusky grouse, these 

 birds eat many berries and other fruits in the summer; bear- 

 berries, blueberries, juniper berries, bunch berries and the wax 

 currant berry are the principal berries eaten. At this season 

 the flesh is palatable, but later in the year and in winter when 

 the food consists largely of the spruce shoots, which suggested 

 the name of the bird, the flesh becomes bitter and undesirable. 







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