THE RUFFED GROUSE. 99 



Rarely do they wander more than a mile from their 

 birth-place. Knowing this, one would naturally expect 

 to rind them far more plentiful away from civilization 

 than near small towns, where they are often hunted; but 

 while this is usually true, there are so many glaring 

 exceptions that one loses himself in trying to account 

 for them. Of course the wariness of the "civilized" 

 bird tends to foil the exterminator, and the unsus- 

 pecting nature of the other assists carnivorous animals 

 and certain birds of prey to many a meal; but this 

 does not satisfactorily explain the scarcity of birds 

 where the natural increase should make them plen- 

 tiful. 



When snow covers the ground, the roosting- place is 

 either the lower branches of a thick-topped tree, or some 

 sheltered spot upon the ground, such as a fallen top, a 

 brush-heap, or a cavity beneath a log. At other seasons, 

 they roost in thickets, on logs, on the ground beside a 

 log or stump, and occasionally in pine, oak, beech, 

 spruce, birch, or poplar trees, often making a flight before 

 settling, either that they may leave no trail for Reynard 

 to follow, or because they have been driven or have 

 wandered from home during the day or the day previous. 

 These flights are silent, and best known to hunters who 

 watch for feeding deer at sunset. 



The variety found in the dense forests of the North- 

 west, roost in the tops of tall evergreen trees in winter. 

 They feed upon the buds and cones, which impart a dis- 

 agreeable flavor to the flesh. When flushed, they fly 

 to the upper branches of other trees. At other times, 

 they differ in habit from the Eastern variety only in more 

 readily taking to trees at a greater height. 



While upon the habits of this bird, I am tempted to 

 quote a few lines from the poet Isaac McLellan, a close 

 student and lover of Nature. Only half of the charming 



