PINNATED GROUSE. 300 



and utter notes of defiance. These are the signals for battles. 

 They engage with wonderful spirit and fierceness. During 

 these contests, they leap a foot or two from the ground, and 

 utter a cackling, screaming, and discordant cry. 



" They have been found in these places of resort even 

 earlier than the appearance of light in the east. This fact 

 has led to the belief that a part of them assemble over night. 

 The rest join them in the morning. This leads to the farther 

 belief that they roost on the ground. And the opinion is 

 confirmed by the discovery of little rings of dung, apparently 

 deposited by a flock which had passed the night together. 

 After the appearance of the sun they disperse. 



" These places of exhibition have been often discovered by 

 the hunters ; and a fatal discovery it has been for the poor 

 grouse. Their destroyers construct for themselves lurking 

 holes made of pine branches, called bough houses, within a few 

 yards of the parade. Hither they repair with their fowling- 

 pieces, in the latter part of the night, and wait the appearance 

 of the birds. Watching the moment when two are proudly 

 eyeing each other, or engaged in battle, or when a greater 

 number can be seen in a range, they pour on them a de- 

 structive charge of shot. This annoyance has been given in 

 so many places, and to such extent, that the grouse, after 

 having been repeatedly disturbed, are afraid to assemble. 

 On approaching the spot to which their instinct prompts them, 

 they perch on the neighbouring trees, instead of alighting at 

 the scratching place. And it remains to be observed, how 

 far the restless and tormenting spirit of the marksmen may 

 alter the native habits of the grouse, and oblige them to betake 

 themselves to new ways of life. 



" They commonly keep together in coveys, or packs, as the 

 phrase is, until the pairing season. A full pack consists, of 

 course, of ten or a dozen. Two packs have been known to 

 associate. I lately heard of one whose number amounted to 

 twenty-two. They are so unapt to be startled, that a hunter 

 assisted by a dog, has been able to shoot almost a whole pack, 



