RUFFED GROUSE. 69 



in autumn, when the weather is fine, particularly in 

 the morning and evening, they will be found in the 

 open cultivation, more especially if there be rough 

 ground with brush in the vicinity ; but as severe 

 weather approaches the woods will become their 

 constant resort. In shooting the ruffed grouse, 

 great difficulty is always experienced in marking 

 them. The flight, as I have previously said, is 

 wonderfully rapid, and they have a method of 

 doubling back in the reverse direction in which 

 they started ; however, as they do not generally 

 go far (about three or four hundred yards), with 

 patience, and a selection of the nearest irregular 

 ground which has young timber upon it, or the 

 densest brush that is in the vicinity, a second 

 opportunity will probably be again found of bring- 

 ing more of the family to bag. All over the United 

 States and Canada they are to be found, being 

 generally known by the misnomers of partridge and 

 pheasant. Where the country is wide and sparsely 

 settled, they are sometimes stupidly tame, almost 

 permitting themselves to be knocked down with a 

 stick. Frequently, when trout-fishing in the wilds 

 of the State of Maine, I have come suddenly upon 

 them, when they would rise into the nearest tree, 



