THE RUFFED GROUSE. 79 



food, covers them at night with her wings, and evinces the greatest care and 

 affection towards them on the least appearance of danger, trying by every 

 art in her power to draw the attention of her enemies to herself, feigning 

 lameness, tumbling and rolling about as if severely wounded, and by this 

 means generally succeeding in saving them. The little ones squat at the least 

 chuck of alarm from the mother, and lie so close as to suffer one to catch 

 them in the hand, should he chance to discover them, which, however, it is 

 very difficult to do. The males are then beginning to associate in small 

 parties, and continue separated from the females until the approach of winter, 

 when males, females, and young mingle together. During summer, these 

 birds are fond of dusting themselves, and resort to the roads for that purpose, 

 as well as to pick up gravel. I have observed this species copulating towards 

 autumn, but have not been able to account for this unseasonable procedure, 

 as only one brood is raised in the season. 



These birds have various enemies besides man. Different species of 

 Hawks destroy them, particularly the Red-tailed Hawk and the Cooper's 

 Hawk. The former watches their motions from the tops of trees, and falls 

 upon them with the swiftness of thought, whilst the latter seizes upon them 

 as he glides rapidly through the woods. Pole-cats, weasels, racoons, 

 opossums, and foxes, are all destructive foes to them. Of these, some are 

 content with sucking their eggs, while others feed on their flesh. 



I have found these birds most numerous in the States of Pennsylvania and 

 New York. They are brought to the markets in great numbers, during the 

 winter months, and sell at from 75 cents to a dollar a-piece, in the eastern 

 cities. At Pittsburg I have bought them, some years ago, for 12^ cents the 

 pair. It is said that when they have fed for several weeks on the leaves of 

 the Kalmia latifolia, it is dangerous to eat their flesh, and I believe laws 

 have been passed to prevent their being sold at that season. I have, 

 however, eaten them at all seasons, and although I have found their crops 

 distended with the leaves of the Kalmia, have never felt the least inconve- 

 nience after eating them, nor even perceived any difference of taste in their 

 flesh. I suspect it is only when the birds have been kept a long time 

 undrawn and unplucked, that the flesh becomes impregnated with the juice 

 of these leaves. 



The food of this species consists of seeds and berries of all kinds, according 

 to the season. It also feeds on the leaves of several species of evergreens, 

 although these are only resorted to when other food has become scarce. 

 They are particularly fond of fox-grapes and winter-grapes, as well as straw- 

 berries and dewberries. To procure the latter, they issue from the groves 

 of the Kentucky Barrens, and often stray to the distance of a mile. They 

 roost on trees, amongst the thickest parts of the foliage, sitting at some 



