THE RUFFED GROUSE. 93 



denly turn warm, and as suddenly cold. Birds come 

 fortli every warm or ijleasant day in search of food, and 

 should the snow become crusted or damp during their 

 absence, would not reenter it at night. Consequently 

 the disastrous change must take place at night, and 

 consist of rain, night thaws being uncommon. 



How many instances can the reader recall, when the 

 snow was fresh and deep, where the weather has changed 

 from extreme cold to rain, and again to cold, between the 

 hours of 5 p. m. and 8 a. m.* 



If very few, and single birds, unable to find a bed-fel- 

 low, only occasionally indulge in this eccentricity, the 

 loss from crusting can not be very great. Either insufii- 

 cient food, prolonged cold in connection with deep snows 

 of early winter, disease, or gunshot wounds, may 

 account for dead birds being found when the snow has 

 disappeared. 



What few "burrows" I have seen were situated in 

 comparatively open parts of the woods — therefore reached 

 by the sun. While this seemingly indicates that the 

 grouse remains in his snowy retreat during a part of the 

 sunshiny days, the open spaces are more probably 

 selected because of the absence of underbrush, which 

 permits of his striking the snow at the angle necessary to 

 make a horizontal biirrow. 



Except in a few districts in the far North or North- 

 west, the ruflfed grouse has learned to fear man to such 

 an extent that it is next to impossible to make a satis- 

 factory score without the aid of a well-broken dog, to 

 divert the bird's attention while one gains the proper 

 shot-gun range. 



Even in those outlying districts where pot-shooting is 

 the rule, the bag may be increased with the help of an 

 experienced setter, pointer, or spaniel. 



The setter is best, because of his thick coat, which 



