18 FEATHERED GAME 



Some specimens might almost pass for the most 

 distant varieties — red as Sabine's or as light 

 as those of the Rockies, and that, too, from the 

 same nest. There is still more '' feather-split- 

 ting" — a division of the eastern race into the 

 variety, Bonasa umhellus togata, so named from 

 the size of the ruffs, said to be more developed 

 in this variety than in the typical bird. The body 

 color is darker and the barrings on the flanks 

 are heavier and blacker, also more and heav- 

 ier dark markings on the buff of the throat than 

 in the ordinary bird. This variety also aver- 

 ages of larger size. The birds included in this 

 classification are those of the northern and 

 northeastern portions of the continent, west- 

 ward to Manitoba. This is held to include the 

 ruffed grouse of all our northern tier of States, 

 westward as far as the Dakotas, and east and 

 north through Canada. Thus our bird of 

 Maine is a togata, but why need we care? By 

 any other name he 'd be as ' ' foxy. ' ' Our Ruffed 

 Grouse cannot be improved upon whatever he 

 is called. Long may he flourish in our woods 

 and hills ! 



The typical bird is supposed to dwell 



