CENTROCERCUS UROPHASIANUS, SAGE COCK. 405 



patches of ' sage brash " {Artemism trideritata), I was suddenly startled 

 by a great flutter and rush, and a dark bird, that appeared to me as 

 large as a Turkey, rose from the ground near me, and, uttering a hoarse 

 liek hek, flew off with an irregular, but reinarkably well-sustained, course. 



"I was just then stooping to drink from the little stream, and quite 

 unprepared for game of any kind, least of all for such a bird, evidently 

 a^Grouse, but so big and black, so far exceeding all reasonable dimen- 

 sions, that I did not think of shooting him, but stood with open eyes, 

 and, doubtless, open mouth, eagerly watching his flight to mark him 

 down. But stop he did not— so long as I conld see him, now flapping, 

 now sailing, he kept ou his course till he disappeared behind a hill a 

 mile away. 



" I was, of course, greatly chagrined by bis escape, but knowing that, 

 given one Grouse, it is usually not difficult to find another, I commenced 

 looking about for the mate of the one I had lost. My search was not 

 a long one; almost immediately she rose from under a sage brush with 

 a noise like a whirl-wind, not to fly a mile before stopping to look 

 aroand, as the cock had done, but, by a fortunate shot, falling helpless 

 to the ground. No deerstalker ever felt more triumphant enthusiasm 

 while standing over the prost^-ate body of a buck, or fisherman when 

 the silvery sides of a salmon sparkled in his landing-net, than I felt as 

 I picked up this great, and to me unknown, bird. 1 afterward ranged 

 the hill-sides for hours, with more or less success, waging a war on these 

 birds, which I found to be quite abundant, bat very strong-winged and 

 difficult to kill. I repeatedly flushed them not ten yards from me, and, 

 as they rose, poured my whole charge, right and left, into them, knock- 

 ing out feathers, perhaps, but not killing the bird, which, in defiance of 

 all my hopes and expectations, would carry off my shot to such a dis- 

 tance that I would not follow him, even did I know he would never rise 

 again. Here, as elsewhere, 1 found these birds confined to the vicinity 

 of the ' sage bushes,' from under which they usually spring. 



" A few days later, on the shores of Wright and Ehett Lakes, we 

 found them very abundant, and killed all we cared to. A very fine 

 male which I killed there was passed by nearly the whole party, within 

 thirty feet, in open ground. I noticed him as soon, perhaps, as he saw 

 us, and waited to watch his movements. As the train approached he 

 sank down on the ground, depressing his head, and lying as motionless 

 as a stick or root, which he greatly resembled. After the party had 

 passed I moved toward him, when he depressed his head till it rested 

 on the ground, and evidently made himself as small as possible. He 

 did not move till I had approached within fifteen feet of him, when he 

 arose, and I shot him. He was in fine plumage, and w^eighed over five 

 pounds. We continued to meet with the Sage Hen, whenever we crossed 

 sage plains, till we reached the Columbia. 



"To the westward of the Cascade Eange this bird ijrobably does not 

 exis*", as all its habits and preferences seem to fit it for the occupancy 

 of the sterile and anhydrous region of the central desert. Its flesh is 

 dark and, particularly in old birds, highly flavored with worm-wood, 

 which, to most persons, is no proof of excellence. The young bird, ii 

 parboiled and stewed, is very good ; but, as a whole, this is inferior foi 

 the table to auy other species of American Grouse." 



In the pai)er above cited, Mr. Holden remarks a habit of this Grouse 

 probably known to few. " They roost in circles on the ground," he says; 

 "I have seen a patch of groirnd, fifteen feet in diameter, completely 

 covered with their excrement. I think they resort to the same place 

 many nights in succession, unless disturbed." 



