RUFFED GROUSE. 



79 



of enemies of the air, such as Hawks and Owls, it is diffi- 

 cult to explain, unless it is on the principle of doing one 

 thing at a time, if it is to be done well. The adult Ruffed 

 Grouse feeds on various kinds of nuts, acorns, all sorts 

 of berries in their season (some of them even of the 

 poisonous kind, such as the sumach), and wild grapes, 

 and, when these fail, eats the foliage of many plants, such 

 as wintergrcen, buttercup, partridge berry, etc. In the 

 winter the food consists mainly of buds of the apple, the 

 two birches, and other trees. 



The males of this species keep apart after the breeding 

 season is over, joining the coveys toward winter. This 

 species bears the cold well, its f^athgjxd-coat, cr^xx'x^A 

 Hmvn the leg to fhf hool, affording ample p rotecl inn - 

 against th^ seventy of the weather. When the snow 

 covers the ground, or during a snowstorm, this bird is 

 in the habit of diving headlong into the driitstQWaid 

 e^gjiing, where it remains frequently entirely covered up, 

 [warm and sn ug, during the night, and^flyifig out again 

 it daybreak. But if during the night a crust should 

 [orni upon the snow the poor Grouse is imprisoned and 

 [requently dies of hunger, as escape is impossible unless 

 thaw speedily comes. 



Its flesh, as is well known, is white and tender, but 



l^n the late fall or winter becomes very bitter occasionally, 



)n account of the bird having fed on the leaves of the 



|lder, and to many persons is then quite poisonous. In 



Ipite of the persistency with which this Grouse is hunted, 



Ind the vast number yearly taken in snares, it is still 



kite plentiful in many parts of its dipersion, and It 



kuld be sad indeed if unbridled persecution and 



/arice should ever cause its extermination, for then 



[oiild disappear one of the noblest game birds known 



our land. 





