142 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



ceived perhaps any difference in the flavor, if we had not been 

 previously informed that they were English Birds — they are 

 larger than the American species. The Grouse were dark ; 

 meat, very juicy, gamey, and larger than our Prairie Hen, the 

 Tetrao Cupido. 



MODES OF SHOOTING. 



Several plans are resorted to for getting Pheasants to supply 

 the markets of Philadelphia and New York. Many are caught 

 in nets and nooses, others in traps, and numbers are shot down 

 by being decoyed into ambuscades by trails of grain laid on 

 top of the snow. These Birds are extremely wary, except 

 when pushed by the cravings of hunger, when they become 

 more bold and venturesome. In districts where they are hunted 

 after, it requires great caution and perseverance on the part of 

 a Shooter to get these Birds. When suddenly come upon, 

 they will often squat, and lie close till you have passed by, 

 when they spring up and make off at a tremendous speed. 

 They generally take to the thickest cripples, or perch them- 

 selves in the highest forest-trees, so buried in the foliage that it 

 is impossible to get sight of them, and there remain perfectly 

 motionless till all danger has passed. Shooting Grouse, where 

 they are not too scarce, is very lively sport, but is usually 

 attended with great toil, more especially in the vicinity of long 

 settled districts, when the sport is generally precarious and 

 uncertain. If a Grouse is missed after being sprung, it is seldom 

 that we can get another shot at it, as it is extremely wary, and 

 will not let the Sportsman again come sufficiently near to insure 

 its destruction. The young Birds fly very short distances, and 

 hardly ever higher than the tops of the laurels, where they are 

 most frequently met with. 



When Pheasants are raised on the declivity of a hill, they 

 dive apparently for its base, but, after flying a short distance, 

 usually turn off in another direction, and by this trick, as it 

 may be called, they are very apt to mislead the inexperienced 

 Shooter. 



Audubon denies the commonly received opinion that several 

 of these Birds can be shot off the same tree without disturbing 



