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  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  Protective 
  measures. 
  It 
  is 
  certain 
  that 
  bobwhites 
  will 
  never 
  be 
  com- 
  

   mon 
  in 
  our 
  State 
  without 
  protection 
  and 
  encouragement. 
  The 
  southern 
  

   and 
  western 
  birds 
  which 
  have 
  been 
  imported 
  are 
  not 
  hardy 
  enough 
  to 
  

   withstand 
  our 
  winters. 
  In 
  any 
  case 
  it 
  would 
  be 
  well 
  to 
  furnish 
  shelter 
  and 
  

   food 
  for 
  the 
  birds 
  during 
  the 
  winter 
  months. 
  Then, 
  if 
  they 
  are 
  protected 
  

   from 
  wandering 
  cats 
  and 
  dogs, 
  and 
  gunners, 
  they 
  will 
  increase 
  until 
  a 
  hardy 
  

   race 
  is 
  established. 
  The 
  Cooper 
  hawk, 
  Sharp-shinned 
  hawk, 
  and 
  Goshawk 
  

   should 
  also 
  be 
  kept 
  off 
  the 
  ranges; 
  and, 
  especially 
  during 
  the 
  nesting 
  season, 
  

   or 
  when 
  the 
  chicks 
  are 
  young, 
  cats 
  should 
  not 
  be 
  allowed 
  to 
  roam 
  the 
  fields 
  . 
  

   If 
  farmers 
  and 
  landowners 
  generally 
  would 
  unite 
  in 
  these 
  protective 
  measures 
  

   we 
  feel 
  confident 
  that 
  the 
  Bobwhite 
  would 
  thrive 
  again 
  in 
  New 
  York 
  as 
  

   he 
  did 
  when 
  our 
  grandfathers 
  were 
  boys. 
  

  

  Family 
  TETRAONID 
  AE 
  

  

  Grouse 
  

  

  Grouse 
  have 
  the 
  tarsi 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  feathered, 
  at 
  least 
  on 
  the 
  upper 
  

   forepart. 
  Some, 
  like 
  the 
  ptarmigans, 
  have 
  the 
  feet 
  densely 
  feathered 
  to 
  

   the 
  nails. 
  Those, 
  like 
  the 
  Ruffed 
  grouse, 
  which 
  have 
  the 
  feet 
  naked 
  are 
  

   provided 
  with 
  a 
  horny, 
  comblike 
  fringe 
  on 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  toes. 
  The 
  nasal 
  

   fossae 
  are 
  feathered; 
  some 
  have 
  a 
  naked, 
  colored 
  spot 
  above 
  the 
  eye, 
  and 
  

   many 
  a 
  naked 
  patch 
  on 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  neck. 
  The 
  colors 
  are 
  subdued 
  and 
  

   blended. 
  The 
  tail 
  consists 
  of 
  16 
  to 
  20, 
  or 
  22 
  feathers. 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  a 
  family 
  of 
  about 
  25 
  species, 
  besides 
  the 
  numerous 
  subspecies, 
  

   scattered 
  through 
  the 
  holarctic 
  realm, 
  and 
  especially 
  well 
  represented 
  in 
  

   North 
  America. 
  They 
  are 
  mostly 
  birds 
  of 
  temperate 
  and 
  cold 
  temperate 
  

   regions, 
  but 
  the 
  ptarmigans 
  live 
  throughout 
  the 
  arctic 
  regions. 
  Every- 
  

   thing 
  considered, 
  grouse 
  are 
  the 
  choicest 
  game 
  birds 
  we 
  have, 
  like 
  the 
  

   Black 
  cock 
  and 
  Red 
  grouse 
  of 
  Europe, 
  the 
  Ruffed 
  grouse 
  and 
  Prairie 
  hen 
  

   of 
  America 
  being 
  famous 
  alike 
  for 
  the 
  sport 
  which 
  they 
  offer 
  in 
  the 
  field 
  

   and 
  the 
  delicious 
  quality 
  of 
  their 
  flesh. 
  

  

  