174 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING. 
of the birds resembles the foliage of the trees so much in 
hue that it is an exceedingly difficult matter to distin- 
guish them apart, especially if the grouse roost high. 
By using my glass freely I was enabled to bag seven brace 
of grouse that day, most of which were shot on the wing 
while they were flying from tree to tree. That was the 
largest number I ever shot in a day, as I never killed for 
the sake of making a big bag. One reason for my success 
on this occasion was, that my companions gave me shots 
which properly belonged to themselves, and acted the 
part of beaters rather than that of friendly rivals. The 
birds were also remarkably abundant, and being young 
and inexperienced, they allowed us to approach them 
to within a few yards before they attempted to fly. We 
averaged twenty brace each during the week that we 
spent in that neighborhood, although we did not go ten 
miles from the house in any one direction. We experi- 
enced very little difficulty in killing the birds when we 
found them; but I must say that the majority of them 
were shot on their perches by my comrades. 
I devoted most of the time I was in the district to 
studying bird life in the forest, and but for this, I would, 
I think, have made a better score. I was satisfied, how- 
ever, as 1t presented a strong contrast to one I had made 
on a previous occasion in Pennsylvania, where three day’s 
trudging brought me only one grouse, and that a poor 
creature which was almost eaten alive by wood ticks. 
When I left that section of Califorma, 1 took away many 
pleasant memories, not the least of which were con- 
nected with ruffed grouse, and that fine type of a Western 
hunter, the hospitable Kentuckian. 
