THE DUSKY- OR BLUE-GROUSE 99 



blue-grouse disappear, and it is unusual to see a single 

 specimen in places where they have been abundant 

 until the following spring. This disappearance is as 

 mysterious as the disappearance of the woodcock in 

 the East. The bears which roam the blue-grouse 

 woods also disappear in the winter, it is well known, 

 and are not seen again until spring. Their where- 

 abouts are known in a general way, but there is the 

 greatest difference of opinion as to what becomes of the 

 grouse. Some insist that they are migratory and go 

 south. Many believe that they retire to the tops of 

 the highest evergreens and pass the cold season as 

 the bears do, in a state of torpor. As the birds subsist 

 well on the leaves of the coniferae, and can always ob- 

 tain sufficient water from the snow and raindrops on 

 the leaves to supply their necessities, Dr. Suckley was 

 of the opinion that the latter is the correct explanation, 

 or that if migratory they are only partially so. The 

 torpor is supposed to be but partial by those who ad- 

 vance the torpor theory. 



There are places in Oregon where the blue-grouse, 

 the pheasants, the ruffed-grouse, and the sharp-tailed 

 grouse may be found close enough together to be shot 

 in a single day from one camp. But the daily bag to- 

 day must be a small one. The limit there is ten birds. 

 This is the law for upland game. The wild-fowl limit 

 is fifty ducks. 



The gun for shooting blue-grouse is the 12-bore. The 

 shot should be somewhat larger than that used on 

 ruffed-grouse. I prefer No. 6 or 5 in the order named. 

 No. 7 will do very well early in the season, when the 

 birds are not wild and when most of them are young. 



