NORTH AMERICA. 



103 



Ruffed Grouse. 



manner. 



of graia In winter ihey approach the barns, and sometimes mingle with the poultry. At this 

 time, great numbers of them are taken in traps. This interesting and beautiful bird is found from 

 Canada to Florida. 



Grouse. The Ruffed Grouse ( Tetrao umbellus) 

 is called partridge in New England, and pheasant 

 in the south. It always prefers the woods, is 

 seldom or never found in open plains, but loves 

 the pine-sheltered declivities of mountains, near 

 streams of water. Its manners are solitary ; they 

 are seldom found in coveys of more than four or 

 five together, and more usually in pairs, or singly. 

 They leave the woods early in the morning, and 

 seek the path or road to pick up gravel. They 

 generally move along whh great statehness, their 

 broad fan-like tails spread out. The drumming, 

 as it is called, of the pheasant, is another singu- 

 larity of the species. This is performed by the 

 male alone, and is produced in the following 

 The bird standing on an old prostrate log, lowers his wings, erects his tail, contracts 

 his throat, elevates the two feathers on his neck, and inflates his whole body, somewhat in the 

 manner of a turkey cock, strutting and wheeling about with great stateliness. After a few ma- 

 noeuvres of this kind, he begins to strike with his stiffened wings in short and quick strokes, 

 which at first are low and distinct, but gradually increase in rapidity till they run into each oth- 

 er. This is most common in tlie morning and evening, and may be heard half a mile off, by 

 which means the sportsman is led to the place of his retreat. 



The Pinnated Grouse, or Heath Hen, (T. cvpido) chooses open, dry plains, thinly inter- 

 spersed with trees, or ])artially overgrown with shrub 

 oaks, for his favorite haunts. Accordingly, he is found 

 in the plains of New Jersey, in the barrens of Ken- 

 tucky, on the east plains of Long Island, and in similar 

 situations in Pennsylvania, the Northwestern States, 

 and the plains of Oregon. Their great inducement 

 in frequenting these plains is probably the small acorn 

 of the shrub oak, the strawberries, whortleberries, and 

 partridge berries with which they abound, and of which 

 these birds are particularly fond. The most remark- 

 able circumstance relative to the heath hen, is, that 

 each side of the neck is furnished with a bag of yel- 

 low skin, which, when inflated with air, resembles a 

 ripe orange. With these the bird produces a boom- 

 ing sound, which consists of three notes, similar to 

 those produced by the night-hawk. 

 The Dusky Grouse (T. ohscurus) in size and color, maybe compared with the black grouse 

 of Europe. A specimen was killed by an exploring party under Major Long, in 1820, 

 on a mountain of the chain which divides the Mississippi from the waters which flow toward 

 the Pacific When the bird flew, it uttered a cackling note, somewhat like that of the domes- 

 tic fowl. The general color of the plumage in the female is blackish brown ; that of the male 

 is entirely black. 



The Cock of the Plains ( T. urophasianus) was first met with by Lewis and Clarke near 

 the fountain of the Missouri, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. It is found in abundance 

 on the plains of the Columbia, and appears to extend to California. It is said by Lewis and 

 Clarke to utter a cackling note when flying, and to feed on the leaves and buds of the pulpy- 

 leafed thorn. It is invariably found on the plains. This bird is just the size of the European 

 cock of the woods. The plumage is blackish, minutely dotted, mottled, and sprinkled with 

 white. The under parts are grayish, mottled with black. 



The Sharp-tailed Grouse ( T. pluisianeUus) was first met with by Gov. Lewis on the upper 

 waters of the Missouri. It is said to be the inhabitant of the great plains of the Columbia. 

 The expedition under Major Long brought a specimen, now in the museum at Philadelphic;. 



Pinnated Grouse. 



