SPRUCE GROUSE 3 
the northern swamps. At this time their flesh 
becomes very dark and to most palates is un- 
pleasantly bitter. It is but justice to say, how- 
ever, that under like conditions the flesh of the 
ruffed grouse is little better. There are those 
who claim to prefer this flavor—this strong re- 
minder of the spruce tops. If, then, your 
friends should speak ill of the table qualities of 
either of these fowls, be sure that they have 
been experimenting with some winter bird 
whose unchanging and long-continued fare of 
spruce buds has not been the ‘‘sweet savour’’ 
‘best suiting your epicure’s taste. Let us con- 
fine ourselves, then, to the legitimate hunting 
season and we shall have no such bitter gastro- 
nomical disappointments. I have seen men eat 
Spruce Grouse twice a day for a week in Octo- 
ber with relish unabated at the end of the time, 
nor did they think themselves much abused 
thereby. 
As is the habit of the family their nests are 
built upon the ground; a tiny hollow lined with 
dry leaves and moss, protected from the 
weather and shielded from view by the over- 
hanging boughs of spruce or fir tree. They lay 
from ten to eighteen eggs,—commonly nearer 
