156 



THE PINNATED GROUSE. 



been for the poor Grouse. Their destroyers con- 

 struct for themselves lurking holes made of pine 

 branches, called bough houses, within a few yards of 

 the parade. Hither they repair with their fowling- 

 pieces, in the latter part of the night, and wait the 

 appearance of the birds. Watching the moment 

 when two are proudly eyeing each other, or engaged 

 in battle, or when a greater number can be seen in 

 a range, they pour on them a destructive charge of 

 shot. This annoyance has been given in so many 

 places, and to such extent, that the Grouse, after 

 having been repeatedly disturbed, are afraid to as- 

 semble. On approaching the spot to which their in- 

 stinct prompts them, they perch on the neighbour- 

 ing trees, instead of alighting at the scratching place. 

 And it remains to be observed, how far the restless 

 and tormenting spirit of the marksmen may alter 

 the native habits of the Grouse, and oblige them to 

 betake themselves to new ways of life. 



tf They commonly keep together in coveys, or 

 packs, as the phrase is, until the pairing season. A 

 full pack consists, of course, of ten or a dozen. Two 

 packs have been known to associate. I lately heard 

 of one whose number amounted to twenty-two. 

 They are so unapt to be startled, that a hunter, as- 

 sisted by a dog, has been able to shoot almost a 

 whole pack, without making any of them take wing. 

 In like manner, the men lying in concealment near 

 the scratching places have been known to discharge 

 several guns before either the report of the explosion, 



