18 FEATHERED GAME 
Some specimens might almost pass for the most 
distant varieties—red as Sabine’s or as light 
as those of the Rockies, and that, too, from the 
same nest. There is still more ‘‘feather-split- 
ting’’—a division of the eastern race into the 
variety, Bonasa umbellus togata, so named from 
the size of the ruffs, said to be more developed 
in this variety than in the typical bird. The body 
color is darker and the barrings on the flanks 
are heavier and blacker, also more and heav- 
ier dark markings on the buff of the throat than 
in the ordinary bird. This variety also aver- 
ages of larger size. The birds included in this 
classification are those of the northern and 
northeastern portions of the continent, west- 
ward to Manitoba. This is held to include the 
ruffed grouse of all our northern tier of States, 
westward as far as the Dakotas, and east and 
north through Canada. Thus our bird of 
Maine is a togata, but why need we care? By 
any other name he’d be as ‘‘foxy.’’ Our Ruffed 
Grouse cannot be improved upon whatever he 
is called. Long may he flourish in our woods 
and hills! 
The typical bird is supposed to dwell 
