THE PHEASANTS 59 



into the fields to feed, and follow them to a point, pro- 

 vided they do not run away from him. Mr. Miller, of 

 Eugene, Oregon, says the pheasant lies better to the 

 dog than the blue-grouse or prairie-chicken, but my 

 information would lead me to believe that the prairie- 

 grouse is the better bird before dogs, prior, of course, 

 to the time when it packs and does not lie for them at 

 all. The long tail, when this pheasant presents a cross 

 shot, will tend to, make the sportsman shoot behind his 

 bird and so miss him, or bring down only the feathers 

 from the tail. Shoot well ahead of crossing birds and, 

 as 1 have before remarked, do not forget that there is 

 little danger of your missing by shooting too far in ad- 

 vance of the bird. 



