THE CANADA GROUSE. 101 
They may be met with on all the paths and roads lead- 
ing through the forests, as they are fond of frequenting 
such places for the purpose of picking up any grain left 
by horses, and revelling in dust-baths. When a pack is 
engaged in this latter amusement, it is surrounded by 
clouds of dust, for each works away with a will, and 
clucks its sense of enjoyment as it forces its body 
through the light, loose soil, and scatters it in showers 
over the back. If they are disturbed while taking a 
bath, they, like all the gallinaceous tribe, rise with a 
loud whirr that is not unlike the sound of a whirlwind, 
but at other times they merely walk into the shrubbery, 
and return to their bath as soon as the cause of their 
alarm has passed on. They lie well to a dog, and, when 
treed, may stand a dozen shots before they attempt to 
seek safer quarters. They do not squat on the branches, 
but stand erect, and peer vigilantly from side to side; 
yet, so closely do they resemble the foliage, that one 
might mistake them for knots on the boughs, even when 
they are not very high up. 
Their bravery, so far as standing fire is concerned, is 
proverbial, for they pay no attention to the leaden hail, 
unless it should bring some of the uppermost tumbling 
down, and then all fly away with a startling whirr, and 
give the sportsman an opportunity of bagging a few on 
the wing. The great difficulty, however, is to rout 
them, for they will often stand firing until every one in 
the tree is killed. I have frequently tried to scare them 
into flight by shouting, and pelting them with stones, 
but without avail, so I had to pick them off or do with- 
out them. 
A very good dog for working them up on the ground 
is a rough-coated red terrier, trained to their pursuit, for 
as soon as it sees them it gives tongue, and following 
them to their place of refuge, keeps barking about it 
until the hunter arrives, when he may easily bag them, 
