IB 



enemy — man. It is a larger and heavier bird than Pediocoetes 

 caTupestris, whose place it has taken, and seems well acquainted 

 with the game laws and the tricks of humanity. In season they 

 are wild and shy, running long distances through the grass after 

 alighting from a long flight. They hide themselves in the scrub 

 and grass and are difficult to dislodge, having considerable power 

 to withhold their scent. They do not frequent the trees as much 

 as Pediocoetes cavipestris, but in severe winter they go deeper 

 into the bush than do the sharp-tailed variety. The sharp- 

 tailed grouse come from the milder parts in the winter and keep 

 companj^ with the pinnated grouse about the stacks, but being 

 in their own habitat a stupid, silly bird, the pinnated grouse do 

 not seem to be able to tolerate their ignorance and repeatedly 

 drive them off, while such as remain learn lessons of wisdom 

 from this new and up-to-date game bird, which, while much 

 more difficult to hunt, is a much handsomer bird, and affords 

 more sport and satisfaction in its pursuit and capture, and is 

 enthusiastically welcomed to Manitoba and Western Canada. 



III. THE ECONOMIC QUESTION 



The economic standpoint is that which deals with the 

 relations of the subject at issue to man from a financial stand- 

 point. This is considered by economists and the general public 

 to be the most important branch of any investigation. 



Dealing with the game birds from this point of view we will 

 consider them, irrespective of their value as game, according to 

 their relations, beneticial, injurious or neutral, to agriculture, 

 that most necessary art of civilization. By a benefi^'ial species 

 is meant one which feeds on or destroys the enemies of agricul- 

 ture. By an injurious species is meant one which feeds on or 

 destroys forms beneficial to agriculture or injures or destroys 

 the results of agricultural labor or hinders in any way the 

 destruction of enemies of agriculture or injures or destroys that 

 which is beneficial to man. 



By a neutral species is meant one whose injurious qualities 

 balance the beneficial or whose feeding habits in no way inter- 

 fere with human interests and independent of that law of nature 



