268 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



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to be seen, he will observe their return, till the trees 

 are almost covered, and the air resounds with the 

 hoarse kuk-kuk-k-k-k. Frequently, in very cold and 

 especially in falling weather, the grouse will not leave 

 their perches during the day, but may be seen at any 

 hour roosting quietly in the tops of the tallest cotton- 

 woods. They are decidedly not graceful objects under 

 these circumstances. They look very large, sharply 

 defined among the bare straggling branches against 

 the gray sky, and assume ungainly attitudes, particu- 

 larly when standing erect on their long legs, with out- 

 stretched necks and upturned tails. Their behavior 

 under these circumstances varies in a manner to me 

 inexplicable. Sometimes a group thus scattered among 

 the treetops will permit the closest approach desired, 

 and more than one may be brought down before the 

 rest are oft in alarm ; not seldom one may fire twice or 

 thrice at the same bird without dislodging it, or kill 

 several without stirring from his tracks. But ordi- 

 narily the chickens' wits serve them to better purpose 

 than this. As we approach, when just beyond range, 

 the crackling of the underbrush attracts the attention 

 of one of the birds, which before had been squatting 

 'like a bump on a log' ; he rises on his feet and twists 

 his neck around to have a look. The rest follow his 

 example. A moment more the warning kuk-kuk-k 

 sounds, and the nearest bird leaves his perch the cry 

 is taken up by the rest, and the whole are off to settle 

 again a few hundred yards away, and tempt renewed 

 pursuit that is likely to end as unsuccessfully. From 



