THE RUFFED GROUSE 45 
pines’’ in such a fashion that there was no dis- 
lodging him. 
One word as to the Ruffed Grouse’s habit be- 
fore the dog: I believe the dog is the most im- 
portant element in the grouse shooter’s good- 
or ill-fortune. I know that many sportsmen 
berate our hero because ‘‘he won’t lay to a 
dog.’’ There are cases where we cannot blame 
the bird. Neither you nor I would stay in the 
neighborhood of a dog which tears through the 
brush like an express train, or whose master is 
continually yelling commands and compliments 
at his riotous brute. It is enough to shatter 
stronger nerves than those of Mr. Grouse. 
Alas, the language we have heard! And that, 
too, directed at dogs that a few short hours be- 
fore were vaunted by their masters as simply 
matchless in their glorious perfections of nose, 
brain and ‘‘bird-sense.’’ 
For success in grouse-shooting a cautious, 
close-working dog is the most important thing 
in the outfit; one that loves to pit his own brains 
and skill against the craft of the bird; whose eye 
is ever alert to the slightest sign from his mas- 
ter, realizing that the gun also has a part to 
