112 GAME BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



has frozen the ground, and has furnished a secure footing' for the 

 sportsman. The Spruce Partridge is said to be very much more 

 gentle and unsuspicious than any of its congeners, and does not 

 seem to recognize man as an enemy. 



The male of this species is about sixteen inches in length. The 

 orevailing color of the plumage is black or blackish, marked below 

 v\-ith numerous white bars and streaks, and waved above with dark 

 grey , a br<5ad band of orange brown extends across the extremi- 

 ties of the tail feathers. The female is somewhat smaller, and her 

 plumage is waved with black, brown and buff. Variety franklini 

 of the northern Rocky Mountains, differs from the Eastern bird in 

 lacking the broad terminal orange bar on the tail, and in having 

 the upper tail coverts which are black in canadensis spotted with 

 white. It is but little known. 



Canace obscitra. — Bon. Dusky Grouse, Blue Grouse, Grey Grouse, Mountain 

 Grouse, Pine Grouse, Fool-hen. 



This species is certainly one of the finest birds of its family. 

 Its flesh is almost entirely white ; as much so as the ruffed grouse 

 or the quail, and has a pecuHar tenderness and flavor. The 

 breast is remarkably full, and the whole body compact and plump. 

 Tlie feathering is close and thick, wings and tail short and square, 

 the latter a beautiful fan when spread, like that of the ruffed grouse. 

 Its food and habits are nearly the .same as those of the latter bird, 

 consisting of insects and the berries and seeds of the pine cone, 

 the leaves of the pines, the buds of trees, etc. It has also the same 

 habits of budding in the trees during deep snows as the ruffed 

 grouse, which are so often shot while thus engaged on winter 

 moonlight nights in the orchards of New England. With the 

 blue grouse, however, this habit of remaining and feeding in the 

 trees is more decided and constant, and in winter they will fly from 

 tree to tree, and often be plenty in the pines when not a track can 

 be found in the snow. If a trail ends it is time to begin to look in 

 the trees, and look sharp, too, for it takes keen and practiced eyes 

 to find them in the thick branches of the pines. They do not squat 

 and lie closely on a limb like the quail, but stand up, perfectly still, 

 and would readily be mistaken for a knot or a broken limb. If 

 they move at all it is to take flight, and with a sudden whirr they 



