﻿GROUSE 
  AND 
  WILD 
  TURKEYS 
  OF 
  THE 
  UNITED 
  STATES, 
  AND 
  

   THEIR 
  ECONOMIC 
  VALUE. 
  

  

  INTRODUCTION. 
  

  

  From 
  the 
  early 
  settlement 
  of 
  America 
  until 
  the 
  present 
  day 
  the 
  

   size, 
  toothsome 
  qualities, 
  and 
  handsome 
  appearance 
  of 
  the 
  grouse 
  and 
  

   wild 
  turkeys 
  have 
  given 
  them 
  a 
  place 
  among 
  the 
  most 
  widely 
  known 
  

   and 
  appreciated 
  of 
  our 
  native 
  birds. 
  Throughout 
  the 
  conquest 
  of 
  the 
  

   continent 
  they 
  served 
  to 
  eke 
  out 
  the 
  scanty 
  larder 
  of 
  the 
  pioneer, 
  and 
  

   under 
  the 
  changed 
  conditions 
  of 
  more 
  recent 
  times 
  have 
  taken 
  an 
  

   established 
  place 
  among 
  the 
  most 
  prized 
  luxuries 
  of 
  the 
  table. 
  Their 
  

   habits 
  are 
  interesting 
  alike 
  to 
  the 
  country 
  boy 
  and 
  the 
  city 
  sportsman, 
  

   and 
  both 
  share 
  in 
  the 
  keen 
  pleasure 
  of 
  their 
  pursuit. 
  Their 
  presence 
  

   on 
  the 
  farm 
  or 
  in 
  woodland 
  is 
  directly 
  beneficial, 
  owing 
  to 
  their 
  

   destruction 
  of 
  harmful 
  insects. 
  

  

  Twelve 
  species 
  of 
  grouse 
  occur 
  within 
  the 
  limits 
  of 
  the 
  United 
  

   States, 
  including 
  Alaska. 
  They 
  inhabit 
  the 
  most 
  varied 
  country, 
  

   from 
  the 
  rich 
  prairies 
  of 
  the 
  Mississippi 
  Valley, 
  through 
  the 
  heavily 
  

   forested 
  areas 
  of 
  the 
  Eastern 
  and 
  Northern 
  States, 
  to 
  above 
  timber 
  

   line 
  on 
  the 
  desolate 
  summits 
  of 
  mountain 
  ranges 
  and 
  over 
  dreary 
  

   wastes 
  of 
  arctic 
  tundra. 
  While 
  less 
  beautifully 
  marked 
  than 
  some 
  

   of 
  the 
  quails, 
  all 
  the 
  grouse 
  are 
  adorned 
  with 
  pleasing 
  colors, 
  and 
  the 
  

   males 
  of 
  the 
  two 
  species, 
  the 
  prairie 
  hen 
  and 
  ruffed 
  grouse, 
  wear 
  

   curiously 
  shaped 
  ornamental 
  tufts 
  of 
  feathers 
  on 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  neck. 
  

   Some 
  species 
  have 
  sacs 
  on 
  the 
  neck, 
  which 
  they 
  inflate 
  to 
  make 
  the 
  

   love 
  notes 
  more 
  sonorous. 
  The 
  males 
  of 
  several 
  species 
  have 
  over 
  the 
  

   eyes 
  fleshy 
  combs 
  that 
  are 
  concealed 
  by 
  the 
  feathers 
  except 
  in 
  the 
  

   mating 
  season, 
  when 
  they 
  become 
  brightly 
  colored 
  and 
  are 
  erected 
  to 
  

   form 
  conspicuous 
  and 
  attractive 
  ornaments. 
  These 
  combs 
  are 
  espe- 
  

   cially 
  noticeable 
  in 
  both 
  the 
  dusky 
  grouse 
  and 
  the 
  ptarmigans. 
  

  

  The 
  grouse 
  may 
  be 
  arranged 
  in 
  three 
  groups 
  according 
  to 
  the 
  kind 
  

   of 
  country 
  they 
  occupy. 
  The 
  group 
  of 
  the 
  open 
  plains 
  or 
  of 
  regions 
  

   covered 
  with 
  a 
  growth 
  of 
  scrubby 
  bushes 
  includes 
  the 
  prairie 
  hens 
  

   of 
  the 
  western 
  prairies, 
  from 
  Manitoba 
  south 
  to 
  Texas 
  and 
  Louisiana 
  ; 
  

   the 
  lesser 
  prairie 
  hen 
  of 
  the 
  Southwest; 
  the 
  heath 
  hen, 
  once 
  of 
  the 
  

   Eastern 
  States, 
  from 
  Massachusetts 
  to 
  Virginia, 
  now 
  limited 
  to 
  Mar- 
  

   thas 
  Vineyard; 
  the 
  sharp-tailed 
  grouse 
  of 
  the 
  Northwest; 
  and 
  the 
  

  

  7 
  

  

  