THE PINNATED GROUSE. 99 



house laden with spoil, but next evening not a Grouse was to be found in 

 the meadow, although I am confident that several hundreds had escaped. 



On the ground the Pinnated Grouse exhibits none of the elegance of 

 manner observed in the Ruffed Grouse, but walks more like the Common 

 Hen, although in a more erect attitude. If surprised, it rises at once with a 

 moderate whirring sound of the wings; but if it happens to see you at a 

 distance, and the place is clear, it instantly runs off with considerable speed, 

 and stops at the first tuft of high grass or bunch of briar, when it squats, and 

 remains until put up. In newly ploughed grounds I have seen them run 

 with all their might, their wings partially expanded, until suddenly meeting 

 with a large clod, they would stop, squat, and disappear in a moment. 

 During the noontide hours, several may often be seen dusting themselves 

 near each other, either on the ploughed fields or the dry sandy roads, and 

 re-arranging their feathers in a moment, in the same manner as the Wild 

 Turkey. Like the Common Fowls, they watch each other's motions, and if 

 one has discovered a grasshopper, and is about to chase it, all the rest within 

 sight of it either fly or run up to the place. When the mother of a brood is 

 found with her young ones, she instantly ruffles up her feathers, and often 

 looks as if she would fly at you; but this she never ventures to do, although 

 she tries every art to decoy you from the place. On large branches of trees 

 these birds walk with great ease, but on small ones they require the aid of 

 their wings to enable them to walk steadily. They usually, if not always, 

 roost singly within a few feet of each other, and on such little eminences as 

 the ground affords. I have found them invariably fronting the wind, or the 

 quarter from which it was to blow. It is only during the early age of the 

 young birds that they sit on the ground in a circle. 



The flight of the Prairie Hen is strong, regular, tolerably swift, and at 

 times protracted to the distance of several miles. The whirring of its wings 

 is less conspicuous than that of the Ruffed Grouse or "Pheasant" ( Tetrao 

 umbellus), and its flight is less rapid. It moves through the air with 

 frequent beats, after which it sails with the wings bent downwards, balancing 

 itself for a hundred yards or more, as if to watch the movements of its 

 pursuer, for at this time they can easily be observed to look behind them as 

 they proceed. They never rise when disturbed without uttering four or five 

 distinct clucks, although at other times they fly off in silence. They are 

 easily shot down by a calm sportsman, but are very apt to deceive a young 

 hand. In the western country they rarely stand before the pointer, and I 

 think the setter is a more profitable dog there. In the Eastern States, how- 

 ever, pointers, as I am informed, are principally employed. These birds 

 rarely wait the approach of the sportsman, but often rise when he is at such 

 a distance as to render it necessary for him to be very prompt in firing. 



