THE RUFFED GROUSE. 157 



When moving, the RufFed-grouse jerks its tail 

 after the manner of the water-hen. It is not, as many 

 naturalists affirm, " always found single or in pairs ;" 

 for small coveys are much more frequently seen than 

 either, and large ones too are occasionally met with. 

 Though generally difficult to get near, they will some- 

 times lie pretty close in a thicket, or in high grass, and 

 then rise almost from under the feet with a whirring 

 heavy flutter, very like that of our pheasant; though 

 when under way the flight is swift and steady. 



Like the Jungle-fowl of India, which, on the Neil- 

 gherries, I have constantly surprised, picking about on 

 the ghauts or mountain passes at dawn of day, the 

 Ruflfed-grouse similarly ventures from the woods in 

 search of food, and may be looked for on forest roads 

 in the early morning with more chance of success than 

 in the covert. Open grassy spots are also favourite places 

 of resort; but owing to their wandering propensities, it 

 is impossible to calculate on finding them in the same 

 neighbourhood two days successively. 



The season for shooting RufFed-grouse is from Sep- 

 tember, to the middle of winter, though after the snow 

 falls there is this objection : that as the birds have then 

 little else to feed on than the "American laurel" or 

 Kalmia, the flesh, if not thereby rendered poisonous — as 

 it probably is, if the bird be left to hang long without 



