THE PINNATED GROUSE. 195 
becomes so great that naught but quick shooting and Ely’s 
green cartridges are likely to help the laborer to produce a 
bag remunerative for his toil. That this bird could be ac- 
climated here in England there is no doubt, for he is capa- 
ble of withstanding great changes of temperature; is not 
particular as to choice of ground, as long as it is open, and 
a sufficiency of food can be obtained. 
Although its range now is confined to the prairie country 
of the United States, not being found, with two exceptions, 
till the edge of the Grand Prairie is reached, yet formerly 
it was equally abundant all over the open lands, on the 
edge of the Atlantic sea-board ; still, however, Long Island 
and Martha’s Vineyard possess some remnants, who long 
since would have disappeared but for the protection and 
care of the land-owners, who have endeavored to prevent, 
if possible, their extinction. I can not well imagine any 
place so bleak in winter as the scrub uplands of the two 
aforementioned islands, unless perhaps Mull and Jura on 
our Scotch coast. The bird that could with impunity with- 
stand the rigors of the cold in the former, could doubtless 
do the same in the latter. The pinnated grouse pairs in 
March, and generally produces from twelve to fourteen 
young at a brood; the chicks very early take to the wing, 
but their flight is weak and short until they are more than 
half-grown. During the infancy of the family, the courage 
and artifice of the parent bird to intimidate or draw off in- 
truders is worthy of notice. At first she will fly toward 
you as if intent on doing you battle, but when this course 
has failed, she will retire, droop her wings, struggle on the 
ground, only just keeping beyond your grasp, always mov- 
ing in a direction contrary to where her brood are hid 
until parent instinct tells her that the children are safe, 
when suddenly, on strong wings, she will start for a dis- 
tant flight. The facility with which the young secrete 
