CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE. 



ALLAN BROOKS. 



This is the form of ruffed grouse found 

 in Northern Canada wherever the country 

 is heavily timbered or swampy. On 

 sparsely wooded country and dried up- 

 lands the gray ruffed grouse, umbelloides, 

 occurs. 



The characteristics that differentiate the 

 4 races of ruffed grouse are so slight, how- 

 ever, that the species might almost be 

 treated as a solid one. In the country be- 

 tween the Selkirk and the Cascade moun- 



Young of this species seem able to fly 

 earlier than those of any other species of 

 grouse. I have never come across a 

 brood that could not fly some distance. 

 I should judge the flight feathers start to 

 grow as soon as the chick is out of the 

 shell, and power of flight is acquired with- 

 in 3 days. 



The ruffed grouse is a game bird that 

 should have the most rigid protection, 

 and sportsmen should be careful how they 



CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE. 



tains, in Southern British Columbia, exam- 

 pics of all 4 races may be taken in a day's 

 travel. The character of the breeding 

 ground and environment of nest have more 

 effect on the coloration of grouse than is 

 caused by difference in climate. In the 

 locality above referred to ruffed grouse 

 inhabit every variety of country from the 

 heavily timbered bottoms to the dry, 

 lightly wooded hills. In the former lo- 

 calities the birds will average as togata, 

 with an occasional sabinii; while in the 

 latter the lightest colored birds represent 

 the variety umbelloides. Ruffed grouse of 

 the sabinii and togata types found on the 

 Pacific slope have a proportionately longer 

 mid toe than Eastern birds. 



deplete their covers, for of all the grouse it 

 is the species least given to wandering or 

 migrating, and covers once exhausted sel- 

 dom or never recover their birds. The 

 number of io a day allowed by the L. A. S. 

 code is at least twice too many for East- 

 ern States. A New England sportsman 

 should quit at 4 birds. Even on the Pacific 

 slope, which presents an ideal retreat for 

 this grouse, I have never been guilty of 

 shooting more than 7 in a day, although I 

 should not hesitate to kill 3 times that 

 number of almost any species of duck in 

 the fall and winter. 



Here is a sportsman after my own heart. — Editor. 



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