iao The Grouse Family 



halting, uniformly colored enemy, and bravely 

 took the chances of a desperate bluff. This inci- 

 dent is one of the most striking illustrations of 

 the devotion of the hen which the writer can 

 recall. The usual course of the mother bird is 

 to throw herself in the path of the intruder, and, 

 by simulating lameness, to draw him after her 

 and away from the hiding chicks. This pretty 

 deceit is one of the most touching sights which 

 reward the observant bird-lover. 



The treeing habit of the grouse, once a 

 great protection to it, is now its bane. This is 

 an interesting point, as it strikingly illustrates 

 the folly of sticking to old-fashioned methods 

 after improvements have been introduced, and 

 also that folly of follies — underestimating the 

 ability of one's opponent. yEons on aeons ago 

 the grouse developed the trick of taking to a 

 tree to avoid peril terrestrial, and no doubt it 

 considered itself a very smart bird. At that time, 

 strangely enough, its two winning cards in the 

 game of life and death were taking to a tree and 

 leaving a tree. Being a bud-eater at certain sea- 

 sons, the grouse naturally sought the trees for 

 food. Among the branches it was comparatively 

 safe from quadrupeds, although some of its foes 

 were clever climbers. But there were others, — 

 the birds of prey, — and to avoid these the grouse 

 went back to earth. So it played its game of 



