158 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



poison from crop and intestines spread itself through 

 the flesh. Grass, flowers and especially red clover are 

 often found in the crop of the ruffed grouse, and many 

 other plants in small quantities. A grouse shot at 

 Lake George had its crop distended with the leaves of 

 the spearmint. 



Few birds are more local in their habits than the 

 ruffed grouse, and one who is familiar with their ways 

 can usually visit the same spot in the woods at the 

 same time of the day and be quite sure of starting a 

 bird. A brood of birds started and scattered in all di- 

 rections will be found a few hours later within a few 

 hundred yards of the place from which they flew. I 

 believe that a circle with a diameter of half a mile will 

 cover the range of a group of ruffed grouse during the 

 summer or during the winter. In spring and autumn, 

 of course, there are marked changes of location, the 

 causes of which are not well understood. We merely 

 know that these changes take place, and that they shift 

 their ground with the seasons, usually being found in 

 different places in summer, autumn and winter. The 

 bird has a certain place for resting basking in the sun 

 or wallowing in the dust another for feeding and 

 another for drinking. Very often it passes between 

 these different places on foot, but not infrequently it 

 flies. It is perhaps during their flights in new and un- 

 familiar localities that they dash themselves against 

 houses or other obstacles. Occasionally they are killed 

 by flying against telegraph wires. 



When a grouse rises, it is likely to fly swiftly and 



