FRANKLIN'S GROUSE 137 



calities still is so, for a brood of these birds to fly into 

 a tree and sit there unalarmed until the heads of half or 

 all of their number have been cut off by the rifle balls of 

 some passing traveler. The flesh is excellent eating, 

 and in places where fresh meat is not easily to be had, 

 many of these birds are killed along the trails. On 

 the other hand, it is to be remembered that the country 

 in which they live is sparsely inhabited by man, and 

 that those which he kills constitute only a very small 

 fraction of the whole number in a district. On the 

 other hand, it is difficult to comprehend how these birds 

 escape their natural enemies, and heavy toll of them 

 must be taken by lynx, fox and wolf. 



With the destruction of the forests, which now 

 threatens us, the numbers of both these forms of 

 grouse must constantly diminish, but before the birds 

 are too greatly reduced in numbers some means should 

 be devised for their preservation. 



Franklin's grouse is still more gentle and unsuspi- 

 cious than the Canada grouse, its eastern cousin. One 

 may frequently walk up to within fifteen or twenty feet 

 of these birds as they sit on the ground or on the low 

 limbs of trees without apparently being noticed by 

 them. When they discover the approach of man they 

 seem at first but little interested, but as one draws 

 nearer, they are likely to stretch up their heads and look 

 more carefully. If really alarmed or uneasy they stand 

 very erect, holding the neck outstretched, and often 

 raise the feathers on the sides of the neck just below 

 the head. This habit is common to this species and to 



