PRAIRIE CHICKENS PINNATED GROUSE. 301 



almost in our faces. The owner of this dog and myself 

 shot eighteen one December day over him in the corn- 

 field, and I never knew a dog, except him, with whom, 

 under similar circumstances, we could have bagged 

 a single bird. The dog is still living, in good health, so 

 I am told, and I will go many miles to see him, to look 

 into his honest face and stroke his broad brown head. 



On warm October days, the grouse are often found 

 sunning themselves along the edges of the stubble, where 

 the ground is sloping, and where they get the benefit of 

 the sun's warm rays and are protected from the wind at 

 the same time; at such times, they lie well, and good shots 

 can be obtained at them. One of the most delightful 

 days I ever spent afield was in the month of December, 

 after pinnated grouse; the night before, it had snowed 

 about four inches, but the morning daw r ned clear, 

 with the air keen and cold. It was in the western part 

 of Iowa; the land was unfenced, and we drove wherever 

 we pleased. The birds had left the corn-fields, and were 

 found sitting on hay-cocks and hay-stacks that were 

 scattered all through these upland meadows. A dog was 

 of no use, because the birds were on their high pedestals, 

 and could sight any approaching object. We were in a 

 farmer's bob-sled, with the seat well back, while the 

 driver sat in the bottom of the sleigh, far forward. On 

 sighting the birds, the driver would jog his sturdy old 

 horses along, while my partner and self sat, with heavy 

 ten-gauge guns, ready to hurl No. 6' s at the birds at 

 our first opportunity. Being familiar with the sight of 

 farmers' teams passing by, the birds were not so timid of 

 them, provided the team kept at a respectable distance. 

 It would not do to drive directly toward the birds, so we 

 made a circuit, or semi-circle, gradually working toward 

 them, and striving to get within forty or fifty yards of 

 them, and on their springing up we would get in both 



