THE PINNATED GROUSE. 195 



becomes so great that naught but quick shooting and Ely's 

 green cartridges are likely to help the laborer to produce a 

 bag remunerative for his toil. That this bird could be ac- 

 climated here in England there is no doubt, for he is capa- 

 ble of withstanding great changes of temperature; is not 

 particular as to choice of ground, as long as it is open, and 

 a sufficiency of food can be obtained. 



Although its range now is confined to the prairie country 

 of the United States, not being found, with two exceptions, 

 till the edge of the Grand Prairie is reached, yet formerly 

 it was equally abundant all over the open lands, on the 

 edge of the Atlantic sea-board ; still, however, Long Island 

 and Martha's Vineyard possess some remnants, who long 

 since would have disappeared but for the protection and 

 care of the land-owners, who have endeavored to prevent, 

 if possible, their extinction. I can not well imagine any 

 place so bleak in winter as the scrub uplands of the two 

 aforementioned islands, unless perhaps Mull and Jura on 

 our Scotch coast. The bird that could with impunity with- 

 stand the rigors of the cold in the former, could doubtless 

 do the same in the latter. The pinnated grouse pairs in 

 March, and generally produces from twelve to fourteen 

 young at a brood ; the chicks very early take to the wing, 

 but their flight is weak and short until they are more than 

 half-grown. During the infancy of the family, the courage 

 and artifice of the parent bird to intimidate or draw off in- 

 truders is worthy of notice. At first she w r ill fly toward 

 you as if intent on doing you battle, but when this course 

 has failed, she will retire, droop her wings, struggle on the 

 ground, only just keeping beyond your grasp, always mov- 

 ing in a direction contrary to where her brood are hid 

 until parent instinct tells her that the children are safe, 

 when suddenly, on strong wings, she will start for a dis- 

 tant flight. The facility with which the young secrete 



