RUFFFD GROUSE. 433 
reach of view, before it alights _ With a good dog, however, they are 
easily found; and at some times exhibit a singular degree of infatua- 
tion, by looking down from the branches where they sit, on the dog be- 
low, who, the more noise he keeps up, seems the more to confuse and 
stupefy them, so that they may be shot down, one by one, till the whole 
are killed, without attempting to fly off. In such cases, those on the 
lower limbs must be taken first; for, should the upper ones be first 
killed, in their fall they alarm those below, who immediately fly off. In 
deep snows they are usually taken in traps, commonly dead traps, sup- 
ported by a figure 4 trigger. At this season, when suddenly alarmed, 
they frequently dive into the snow, particularly when it has newly 
fallen, and, coming out at a considerable distance, again take wing. 
They are pretty hard to kill, and will often carry off a large load to the 
distance of two hundred yards, and drop down dead. Sometimes, in 
the depth of winter, they approach the farm-house, and lurk near the 
barn, or about the garden. They have also been often taken young, 
and tamed,.so as to associate with the fowls; and their eggs have fre- 
quently been hatched under the Common Hen; but these rarely survive 
until full grown. They are exceedingly fond of the seeds of grapes; 
occasionally. eat ants, chestnuts, blackberries, and various vegetables. 
Formerly they were numerous in the immediate vicinity of Philadel- 
phia; but, as the woods were cleared and population increased, they 
retreated to the interior. At present there are very few to be found 
within several miles of the city, and those only singly, in the most sol- 
itary and retired woody recesses. 
The Pheasant is in best order for the table in September and Octo- 
ber. At this season they feed chiefly on whortleberries, and the little, 
red, aromatic partridgeberries ; the last of which give their flesh a pe- 
culiar, delicate flavor. Witt the former our mountains are literally 
covered from August to November ; and these constitute, at that season, 
the greater part of their food. During the deep snows of winter, they 
exert that with a totally noiseless flight. Sounds at variance from that occasioned 
by ordinary flight, are produced by many birds ; perispley- Sura the breeding 
season, when different motions are employed, and it appears to me to be rather a 
consequence depending on the peculiar flight, than the flight employed to produce 
the sound as a love or other call. Such is the booming noise produced by Snipes 
in spring, always accompanied by the almost imperceptible motion of the wings in 
the very rapid descent of the bird. A somewhat simiar sound is produced by the 
Lapwing, when flying near her nest or young, and is always heard during a rapid 
flight performed diagonally downwards. The cock Pheasant produces a foud whir 
by a violent motion of his wings after calling. A very peculiar rustling is heard 
when the Peacock raises his train, and the cause, a rapid, trembling motion of the 
feathers, is easily perceived ; and the strut of the Turkey Cock is produced appa- 
rently by the rapid exertion of the muscles acting on the roots of the quills. 
Under this species may be mentioned the 7’. Sabinii of Douglas. It is so very 
closely allied, that Dr. Richardson remarks, “After a careful comparison of Mr. 
Douglas’s 7. Sabinii, deposited in the Edinburgh Museum, they appeared to me to 
differ in no respect from the young of 7’. wmbellus.”’ ‘ 
The characters of J. Sabinii, given by Mr. Douglas, are, — Rufus, nigro nota- 
tus ; dorso maculis cordiformibus, nucha alisque lineis ferrugineo-flovis ; abdomine 
albo brunneo fasciato ; rectricibus fasciatis, fascia subapicall lata nigra. 
Mr. Douglas thinks that there is some difference between the specimens of 7. 
umbellus, killed on the Rocky Mountains, and more northern parts, from those in 
the states of New York and Pennsylvania, and proposes, if they should be here- 
after found distinct, — should stand as 7'. umbelloides. —Ep. 
