QUAIL, GROUSE, ETC. 163 



United States to the Rocky Mountains, becoming rather 

 scarce beyond the states bordering the Mississippi. Maine 

 and the White and Green mountain regions northward into 

 Quebec is the home of the Canada ruffed grouse, a sub- 

 species slightly larger. Two other forms occur in the West ; 

 the Oregon ruffed grouse inhabits the Pacific Coast and the 

 gray ruffed grouse is found in the Northwest east of the 

 Sierras and within the Rocky Mountain region. 



One of the most marvelous examples of adaiitability to 

 climatic conditions is shown in the feet of the ruffed grouse. 

 The birds are resident the year around wherever found, 

 and, requiring snow shoes for winter, the toes in fall are 

 equipped with fine, stiff, projecting feathers, extending hor- 

 izontally on either side of the toes, resembling a double- 

 toothed comb in form. This added foot surface enables the 

 bird to walk with ease on the surface of the snow. The 

 projections drop off at the approach of warm weather. 



Birds give vent to their emotion during the mating and 

 breeding season by various vocal soimds, many of which are 

 highly musical. Some species produce what is known as 

 wind music, such as the boom of the nighthawks, caused by 

 the birds swooping earthward from a height, allowing the 

 air to pass through the primaries turned on edge. Of a 

 somewhat similar nature is the "drumming of the grouse"; 

 the bird assumes an attitude similar to a strutting turkey 

 gobbler as from stump or log, with spreading tail, he rap- 

 idly beats the sides of his body with the wings, producing a 

 sound like the muffled roll of a drum. 



The flight of the partridge is terrific, but of short dura- 

 tion. When flushed by the gunner he seems to have the 



