74 GALLINACEOUS BIRDS— GROUSE 



but during my visit of several vi^eeks' duration I shot 

 only one or two of the pinnated or prairie-grouse. It 

 has been well settled, however, that the common 

 prairie-hen follows civilization to the Northwest, and 

 these birds are increasing in Dakota. Many of them 

 now find their way to the same bag with the sharp- 

 tails, and since variety is pleasing, they have made 

 their common range the most desirable grouse land in 

 America. I can imagine no better grouse preserves 

 than those which will soon occupy all the country 

 from Minnesota and the valley of the Red River of the 

 North to Eastern Oregon and Washington. The vast 

 number of small lakes and ponds and the little streams 

 and sloughs overgrown with reeds and rushes and 

 wild rice, are full of the best ducks that fly, both 

 the sea-ducks, such as the canvas-backs and red-heads, 

 and the shoal-water mallards, teal, wood-duck, and all 

 the river-ducks or dabblers. Many remain in North 

 Dakota to build their nests, and when chicken-shooting 

 I have often seen a pond full of young mallards and 

 teal, and once made a double shot, killing a duck and 

 a chicken, a large mallard and a swift-flying sharp-tail. 

 The sharp-tailed grouse is very similar in its habits to 

 the prairie-grouse. It struts and scratches and fights 

 in the spring; many performing at a time on the 

 scratching places, and as the birds bow and slip past 

 each other with their tails up they present an amusing 

 appearance, which has been compared to the dancing 

 of a minuet. 



I have observed the great sage-grouse performing 

 in the same way, and the cocks of both species often 

 get to fighting, as dancers have been known to do at 



