106 UPLAND GAME BIRDS 



cause it is too odd and striking in appearance to be ignored. 

 It may be known by the numerous large white spots on the 

 sides of its body just below the wings, and its harlequin head 

 of black-and-white bars and collars. It is of great interest to 

 Americans residing in Mexico, and many attempts have been 

 made to acclimatize it in captivity in the United States. I 

 once had in my possession two of these birds whose white 

 spots had been artificially changed by some enterprising 

 Mexican to a beautiful golden-yellow color. Until the trick 

 was discovered, the birds were quite a puzzle, for the fact 

 that they had been dyed was not proven until they moulted. 

 The Ruffed Grouse^ is the dandy of American game 

 birds. In various places it is called by various names, some 

 of which are mischievously confusing. By many persons it 

 is called a "Pheasant," and by others a "Partridge"; but 

 both of these names are entirely incorrect, and when applied 

 to this bird create confusion. Often it is impossible to con- 

 verse understandingly about this bird without first deifining 

 boundaries, and coming to an agreement regarding the names 

 "Pheasant" and "Partridge." Now that a real pheasant 

 (the ring-necked) has been introduced from China into many 

 portions of the United States, it is all the more imperative 

 that the Ruffed Grouse should be called by that name and no 

 other! It is called "Ruffed" because of the ruff of feathers 

 that it wears just in front of its shoulders, and under the name 

 "Redruff" this bird has been most charmingly introduced 

 by Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton to many thousand readers 

 who never had known it previously. 



1 Bo-na'sa wn-hel'lus. Average length, 16 inches. ' 



