THE ENEMIES OF PIXNATED GROUSE. 



195 



many years. On being assured by me that they 

 were our American friends, he, with vehemence, 

 stated that, but for my assertion, he would have bet 

 his last shilling that he was correct. 



In the commencement of the shooting season the 

 pinnated grouse lie remarkably well to dogs. At 

 that time they offer a very easy mark, and require but 

 little shot to bring them down ; but when winter is 

 threatening, and stormy November denotes its ap- 

 proach, the birds pack, are difficult to get within 

 shooting distance of, and will carry off as much lead 

 — if not more — than the familiar wood-pigeon. 



When Indian corn, or maize, has been left un- 

 gathered till winter has set in, in some of the large 

 fields that have thus been neglected, I have had 

 shooting from morning to night, and the hardest 

 and quickest shooting I have ever experienced. To 

 understand how such was the case I will explain. 

 The stalks of the grain averaged over five feet in 

 height, while the growth of weeds that covered the 

 ground was so interlaced as to make walking exces- 

 sively difficult. Few shots were afforded at less 

 than forty yards, while the velocity of flight of the 

 game aimed at, and the rapidity with which they 

 took wing, could never fail to be a matter of surprise 

 to the uninitiated, and of admiration to the experi- 

 enced sportsman. 



These birds usually hatch about ten or twelve 

 chicks, which the female carefully guards, for she is a 

 most devoted parent ; so much so that she will do 

 battle for her progeny, even to perilling her own 

 life. However, if man be the intruder, the affection- 

 ate mother adopts the artifices of the wild duck, 

 affects lameness or incapacity to fly, which tricks 

 seldom fail in their desired result. 



The greatest enemies the youthful grouse have to 

 contend with are the little grey fox and the numerous 

 varieties of snakes which always abound in the damp, 



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