260 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 
fine Grouse, and, from appearances this day, we had reason 
to calculate upon a continuation of success on the morrow. 
We were not disappointed, for by ten o’clock the next 
morning, we had secured three brace more; but the sun 
coming out very warm, or, as our worthy guide remarked, 
“ rather hottish,” we concluded to start for New York, in 
order that we might carry our birds home in good order. 
We arrived in our fair city on the 22d, highly gratified 
with our excursion, and had the pleasure of surprising our 
sporting friends, with rather an uncommon show of prime 
game. J- S. 
New York, Nov. 10, 1831. 
HABITS OF THE RUFFED GROUSE, OR PHEASANT. 
(Tetrao umbellus.) 
On reading the anecdote of Professor Green in your in- 
teresting work some time since, on the stupidity of this 
bird, it brought strongly to my recollection the fact of 
having seen a fine male of the species, confined in a wooden 
cage, in the possession of Isaac Deniston, Esq., of this city, 
which had been taken a few days previous under circum- 
stances very similar. This was in the fall of 1814, it was 
discovered early in the morning seated in the piazza near 
the door of that gentleman’s dwelling, and without difficulty 
made captive. This bird was kept about one week and 
then presented to a friend residing in Greenbush, opposite 
the city, here it remained about the same length of time, 
when by some accident it perished. 
In conversing on the subject, a few days since, with a 
friend of mine in this city, a genuine sportsman and an ac- 
curate observer of every thing appertaining to the sports of 
the field, he informed me that, about three years since, 
in the fall of the year, being on a shooting excursion in the 
neighbourhood of Claverack, Columbia county, New York, 
he obtained a fine living specimen of this bird, from a gen- 
tleman residing at that place, who stated to him, that it had 
been captured a day or two previous by one of his domes- 
tics, in the cellar-way of his dwelling. This was brought 
with him to the city; in a few days it began to droop, and 
died in the space of a week of its confinement. In both of 
these cases, the individuals who captured them were of 
opinion, they had been frightened by a hawk or some other 
bird of prey. 
Early in the morning of a severe cold day in the winter, 
about fifteen years since, I saw a number of lads pelting with 
frozen flakes of snow some object which had taken its sta- 
tion on the roof of a one story dwelling, situated in the old- 
est and most populous part of our city. On observing it 
attentively, I discovered it to be a Ruffed Grouse; it sat near 
the chimney, as if dozing, apparently unconscious of the 
many missiles which flew in every direction about it; one 
at length struck it lightly on the wing, it stretched forth its 
neck a moment, as if for recollection — shook its plumage — 
glid silently over the house, and disappeared from my sight. 
The winter was remarkably severe. A large quantity of 
snow had fallen, and entirely covered the ground for an 
unusual space of time; when the spring returned and nature 
had once more put forth her bloom, ,the farmers in the 
vicinity were astonished at discovering a considerable num- 
ber of the bones and partially decayed carcases of this spe- 
cies of Grouse, strewed along the hedges, and in the deep 
woods in the neighbourhood of their dwellings.* This 
mortality they attributed to their usual food being buried 
too deep beneath the snow for them to obtain access to, con- 
sequently, they perished from hunger. On learning this 
fact, during the following summer, and hearing it repeatedly 
since that time, I naturally concluded that this bird had 
been compelled to seek among the habitations of man, the 
food necessary for its existence, which nature had denied it 
elsewhere. I have now no doubt but its appearance in the 
city, was more properly occasioned by the annoyance of 
some bird of prey. 
Yours, &c. 
JAMES EIGHTS. 
Albany, Nov. 1 , 1831. 
BASS FISHING IN THE WEST. 
Messrs. Editors: 
There is an excellent essay on the “Usefulness of Sport- 
ing,” in your first number, under the signature of “ J. T. 
S.” in which I agree most cordially with the writer, except 
where he stiles Angling a “ mild, subdued, and feminine 
exercise.” It may be so in the East, but here, in the West, 
it is altogether a different business. 
Who, in the vicinity of our “great Western Emporium,” 
has not heard of the “Cincinnati Angling Club,” and its 
exploits among the “finny tribe?” None, I will venture 
to say, can follow a party from this Club on a fishing ex- 
cursion, for a single day, without feeling the intense excite- 
ment created in the members by the delightful and manly 
exercise of “Bass Fishing,” and entering fully into the 
enjoyment of a sport, which is every thing but “femi- 
nine.” 
* This I have recently understood was also the case last spring. 
