REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 255 



They will get up on fences, stumps and lower limbs of spreading trees when unmo- 

 lested ; but they do not seek refuge in trees like the blue grouse and native ruffed 

 grouse when flushed. When they become aware that they are pursued by either 

 man or dog they put their trust in their heels, and quietly but very quickly "take a 

 sneak." as it were. 



If the hunter expects to get a shot he must move lively and keep close to his dog, 

 with his gun in readiness for instant use when the bird flushes. The bird will run just 

 as long as there is any show to evade his pursuers in a foot race. Then he arises 

 with a whirr and cackle, flies very strong, and alights with his feet moving for another 

 race. And as he always alights on the ground and never in a tree, you can see how 

 little show the pot-hunter stands with him. It takes an active dog to flush him at any 

 time and a quick shot to drop him, for he is very cunning, alert and strong. 



You ask as to the probability of the birds becoming acclimated in New York and 

 New England States. Judge Denny has favored me with many delightful chats about 

 the bird in his native land, and we have often discussed the question of whether he 

 can withstand the rigors of Eastern winters. We agree that they can, so far as the 

 cold is concerned, but the other part of the proposition, snow, can only be determined 

 by experiment. Judge Denny tells me that he procured some of the birds from about 

 the Mongolian hills, where the thermometer sometimes goes down to forty degrees 

 below zero. But he thinks that the birds had less snow to contend with than they would 

 have in New York and the New England States. So far as cold is concerned, they 

 can live and prosper anywhere in the United States. How well they can stand snow 

 is now being tested in various places, and we are watching the solution of the problem 

 with much interest. Of course, they easily adapt themselves to the country and 

 climate of Western Oregon, for although we have much rain we have very little cold 

 weather and scarcely any snow. In many respects our country and climate is similar 

 to the " Flowery Kingdom." The birds are certainly very hardy, and are better 

 " rustlers " than either the Bob White or ruffed grouse. On occasions of snowy or 

 extremely bad weather they seek out protected places, and even go to the barn-yards 

 for provender. Cold, dry snow seems to have little effect upon them, but with wet 

 snowballs on their long tails they cannot take to wing, and they become helpless vic- 

 tims to the country urchin and varmints. They are not subject to any of the diseases 

 of the native ruffed grouse, to my knowledge. Neither are they bud eaters, although 

 (po.-iibly) they might take to buds in time of deep snows, when their regular rations 

 from other sources are shut off. I do not state this as a fact, but simply suggest it as 

 probable. They are insectivorous, as much so as the pinnated grouse of the prairie 

 States. The Chinese farmers never shoot the birds or do anything which tends to 

 frighten them from their fields, as they hold them friends, rather than enemies, doing 



