BIRDS OF NEW YORK 373 



observers have reported that grouse are occasionally crusted over while 

 sleeping in the snow and are never able to escape, but this is certainly a 

 rare occurrence in our State. With their powerful wangs they -can force 

 themselves some distance through the snowbanks and in this manner often 

 escape from birds of prey. 



Enemies. The greatest enemies of the grouse are foxes, martens,. 

 minks, weasels. Great-homed owls, goshawks and Cooper hawks which 

 capture both old and young birds. Chicks are destroyed by cats and crows, 

 and often become victims of ticks and abdominal parasites. In cold, wet 

 seasons the eggs hatch poorly and the young die from exposure. In well 

 settled districts wandering cats are fully as great an enemy as gunners. 

 I have known of a single cat which brought home, in one season, not less 

 than 18 grouse, some of which were two thirds grown, and doubtless others 

 were devoured in the field. Crows destroy the eggs whenever they can 

 discover the nest, and skunks, weasels, and red squirrels are a continual 

 menace during the incubation period. 



If the Ruffed grouse is to be preserved in the more thickly populated 

 districts the sportsman must abandon hunting it in these localities, and 

 reserves of several thousands of acres with suitable food and cover should 

 be established in various localities to serve as strongholds and propagating 

 centers for the species. The Ruffed grouse is our finest game bird and it 

 will be a disgrace if it be allowed to go the way of the Heath hen and Wild 

 turkey. 



Bonasa umbellus togata (Linnaeus) 

 Canadian Ruffed Grouse 



Tetrao togatus Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 12. 1766. 1:275 



Bonasa umbellus togata A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 300a 



toga'ta, Lat., togated, gowned, probably referring to the dark or gray 

 suffusion of the plumage in this variety 



Description. Ruffed grouse from northern Canada are easily dis- 

 tinguishable from those of the Middle Atlantic States by their much darker 

 hue, especially the barring of the under parts, these cross markings being 

 quite dusky across the breast, and becoming almost black on the flanks. The 

 edges of each bar, even on the center of the breast, are blackish. There 



