THE RUFFED GROUSE. 161 
which her family thoroughly understands, and on hearing 
it they scatter and rush for shelter among the grass and 
shrubbery, while she exposes herself to the foe, and by a 
capital piece of strategy leads it away from the covert. 
If a man is the object of her suspicion she pretends to 
be crippled, flutters helplessly amidst the weeds, and 
utters lamentable cries, as if she were suffering the 
greatest pain; but if he makes an effort to seize her she 
eludes him in the promptest manner, and when she 
thinks she has drawn him far enough away, she rises 
suddenly, and with a loud whirr and a chuckling ery, 
which might be translated as ‘‘sold again,” she darts 
away and seeks refuge in the forest depths until she can 
rejoin her scattered brood in safety. The novice is likely 
to gaze after her rapidly retreating form in amazement 
and to wonder at her duplicity; and if he does not repeat 
her parting salute aloud, he is very liable to think it, and 
to consider that she was perfectly right in her statement. 
She may be able to impose on a person’s confidence once 
or twice by this manceuvre, but not more, as he soon 
learns to appreciate her distressed condition at its true 
worth, and to act accordingly. 
The males, like those of the domestic fowl, are polyg- 
amous, and generally have from four to six hens under 
their protection; but they soon tire of them, apparently, 
for they manifest no inclination to help them in looking 
after the chicks, preferring to spend their time in luxuri- 
ous ease in company with other clubable bachelors, or 
rather temporary widowers. These bachelor parties break 
up about the last of August or first of September, when 
the chicks are able to fly well, and the males rejoin the 
mothers and their interesting young families, and remain 
with them until they are bagged by the sportsman or the 
broods set up house-keeping for themselves. The hawks 
are great enemies of the chickens, and minks, weasels, 
and foxes dance attendance upon the adults, and even 
