426 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



the Dusky Grouse, and is found from the rohimbia Iiiver and British Colum- 

 bia to Alaska. According to 1 )r. Suckley, it i.s jicnerally known as the Blue 

 Grouse in Ore,i,'on, and is also called tlie Pine Grouse, as well as the 

 Dusky Grouse. He met witii it for the first time wlien his J)arty had 

 reached tlio main cliain of the IJocky Mountains, and where tliey found it 

 exceediujily aljundant, as afterwards in the l»lue ^lountains of Oregon, the 

 Cascade Mountains, and in all the timbered country between the Coast 

 Itange ami tlie Pacific Ocean. Aliout the middle of Xovendjer these birds 

 are .said to entirely disappear, and it is very i-are to meet with even a .single 

 individual between that jjcriod and tiie 2(lth of the following !March. As to 

 tlieir whereiibouts during this period there is a great difl'erence of opinion 

 among the settlers. Some maintain that they are migratory and retire to 

 the south. t)thers are of the opinion that they retire to the tops of the 

 highest evergieen trees, where they pass the cold season in a state of partial 

 torpor among tlie thickest foliage of the branches. As these T)irds are known 

 to subsist on the leaves of the Coniffrrv, and can always obtain sufficient 

 water from tlie snow and rain-drops to sujijdy their wants, Dr. Suckley was 

 inclined to favor the latter explanation of their absence. He saw one of 

 these birds on the ground during a fall of snow, in January, near the Nis- 

 qually lUver, in Washington Territory, and he was informed that a hunter 

 near Olympia, whose eyesight was remarkably excellent, was able, any 

 day during the winter, to obtain several birds by searching carefully for them 

 among the tree-tops of the tallest and most thickly leaved firs. This requires 

 much better eyesight than most men possess, for these birds are of a sombre 

 hue, crowd very clo.sely to the limb, and sit there immovable. They are 

 therefore veiy difficult to find among the dense branches. 



The first indication of their ])re.sence in spring is the courting call of the 

 male. Tliis is a jirolonged sound, resembling the whir of a rattan cane 

 moved rapidly through tlie air. This is repeated severcal times with consid- 

 erable rapidity, and then stops for a brief interval. This is said to be pro- 

 duced by the alterniite inflation and contraction of sacs, one on each side 

 of the throat, which are usually concealed by the feathers, and are covered 

 by an orange-colored, thick, corrugated skin. At Fort Steilacoom these birds 

 were very abundant during the spring and early sunniier, and were mostly 

 confined to the forests of firs. Later in the season, and after hatching, they 

 are more generally found on the ground in search of berries and seeds. 

 When alarmed, they seek safety among the dense foliage of the trees, .seem- 

 ing instinctively to understand the advantage of thus hiding. He has known 

 an entire flock of five, concealed among the ferns and grass, to be shot one by 

 one, without an attempt being made by a single individmd to fly. This 

 Grouse is said to be a very fine table bird, its pine taste only adding to its 

 game-flavor. Their full weight is from 2 J to 3i pounds. 



Dr. Cooper never met with the nest of eggs of either of the races of the 

 Dusky Grouse, but in June flocks of half-grown young were killed by the 



