138 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



the dusky grouse, and is seen to a greater or less extent 

 in other members of the family, as the ruffed, pinnated 

 and sharp-tailed grouse. 



Franklin's grouse is commonly found in the summer 

 in timbered valleys, often close to the water, but some- 

 times also on timbered plateaus much higher in the 

 mountains. I have not observed that it seems especially 

 to prefer swampy lands, as the Canada grouse is sup- 

 posed to, but rather a thickly timbered country, not far 

 from water. 



Even if alarmed and forced to take to wing, they do 

 nothing more than fly up into the branches of the tree 

 immediately above them, where they always either 

 huddle down on a branch, as if to rest again, or, if 

 seriously frightened, stand with head erect, stretching 

 the neck out, first in one direction and then in another, 

 until the cause of alarm has passed, or their suspicion 

 has become allayed. 



Contrary to what might be expected, the spruce 

 partridge, found in west central Alaska, is not 

 Franklin's grouse, but a form of the Canada grouse. 



