NATURAL? HISTORY:: 
have killed many crosses, half fox, half 
gray. The fox squirrel is larger than the 
gray, slower in movement, and more bold 
in attempting escape. I have bred Bel- 
gian and Flemish giant hares for years. 
Although the bucks fight, I have never 
seen an attempt at mutilation. 
H. J. Klotzbach, Giard, Ia. 

NOTES ON THE RUFFED GROUSE. 
I was amused by the effort of Dr. Will- 
iams to describe the drumming of the 
ruffed grouse. He says it is produced by 
the tail. The doctor evidently never 
watched grouse drumming. The _ bird 
stands erect and beats his sides with his 
wings, first 3 or 4 beats, then pauses a 
second, then begins beating more and 
more rapidly until the sound ends in a 
whir-r-r-r. 
Our male Chinese pheasant uses his 
wings in much the same way, accompanied 
by a crow. I may also say, the doc- 
tor has evidently not been a close ob- 
server of the turkey gobbler, or he would 
know that the sound produced is not made 
by the tail, but by the points of the wings 
on the ground. The gobbler steps ahead 
with a stooping motion of his body, and 
the points of his wings are worn by com- 
ing in contact with the ground during the 
strutting season. 
R. M. Ryer, Oakland, Ore. 
I read with much interest the article in 
March ReEcREATION entitled “Why Do 
Ruffed Grouse Die Young?” When I lived 
North I hunted this bird a great deal, 
both in Vermont and in New York. Dur- 
ing one summer, I found several dead 
young birds and in every case came to the 
conclusion that they had been killed by 
ticks cutting and boring their throats. 
Daniel Halleck, of Eldred, N. Y., a profes- 
sional guide and hunter in the 80's, said 
he had seen many killed in the same way. 
In reply to J. F. Perry, would say the 
hedgehogs were probably killed by a 
fisher. That is about the only animal I 
know of that can kill them. 
Ke 5. Deane, Coimjock; “NocC. 
In May REcREATION Dr. Williams an- 
swers Mr. Arnold’s inquiry, as to how the 
ruffed grouse produces the noise known 
as drumming. Dr. Williams calls atten- 
tion to the turkey gobbler, and says the 
gobbler drums with his tail, as does the 
grouse. I think the gobbler drums with 
his wings, and am certain, from _ per- 
conal observation, that the drumming of 
the male grouse is produced by his wings 
beating against the air as he stands on a 
log or fallen tree. I know of one in- 
387 
stance where a grouse drummed while 
standing on a rock. 
A. Stringer, Eau Claire, Wis. 
Thomas Harris, League warden at Port 
Jervis, N. Y., reports that on September 
roth he killed a ruffed grouse that had 
in her 18 or 20 eggs, some of which were 
nearly full size. Has any reader of REc- 
REATION ever before heard of a grouse 
nesting in September? 

ENEMIES OF THE PORCUPINE. 
IT can tell J. F. Perry, who asks in 
March RECREATION “what animal will kill 
hedgehogs,” that in Montana we have 3 
animals that kill them at every opportu- 
nity—the fox, the coyote, and the moun- 
tain lion. Hedgehogs are the best bait 
we have for foxes or coyotes. If either 
of these animals can get a hedgehog on 
open ground he is sure to kill him. It was 
undoubtedly a fox that killed the hedge- 
hogs in Vermont. 
M. P. Dunham, Woodworth, Mont. 
J. F. Perry wishes to know what animal 
kills the hedgehog. -All old hunters know 
that the wildcat kills and eats hedgehogs. 
He turns the porcupine on his back and 
eats him alive. On one occasion I saw a 
cat catch a half-grown hedgehog and in 
less than a half minute turn him over and 
begin eating him. Have also killed several 
wildcats with quills sticking in their feet, 
breast and face. 
Chas. Weis, Erie, Pa. 
While hiding in the woods one day, 
waiting for a fox, I saw a gray squirrel 
coming and a red after him. They ran 
through the tree beneath which I sat. As 
the gray was about to jump to another tree 
the red caught him and I saw something 
drop to the ground. Investigation proved 
the gray had been castrated. 
James Boutwell, Woburn, Mass. 
In March ReEcREATION J. F. Perry asks 
what animal will kill and eat hedgehogs. 
While following a black bear on fresh 
snow, several years ago, my brother and 
I found where a wildcat had killed and 
partly eaten a hedgehog. How he could 
have killed him without getting full of 
quills would be a tough question to an- 
swer. 
W. E. Derbyshire, Austin, Pa. 
Here in the Rockies the hedgehog has 
several enemies. I saw where a lynx had 
just killed and partly eaten one. I have 
also known the mountain lion and wolver- 
ine to kill them, and all flesh-eating ani- 
mals are fond of their flesh. 
H. F. Hackett, Lake View, Mont. 
