PINNATED GROUSE. 
821 
abilities. That peculiar tract, generally known by the 
name of the Brushy Plains of Long Island, haidng been, 
for time immemorial, the resort of the bird now before 
us, some account of this particular range of country 
seemed necessarily connected with the subject, and has, 
accordingly, been obligingly attended to by the learned 
professor. 
“New York, Sept. 19, 1810. 
“ Dear Sir, — It gives me much pleasure to reply 
to your letter of the 12th instant, asking of me infor- 
mation conoerning- the grouse of Long Island. 
“ The bi.’'ds which are known there emphatically by 
the name of grouse, inhabit chieiiy the fore.st range. 
This district of the island may be estimated as being' 
between forty and fifty miles in length, extending from 
llethphage, in (Queen’s County, to the neighbourhood 
of the court-house, in Suffolk. Its breadth is not 
more than six or seven. For, although the island is 
bounded by the Sound separating it from Connecticut 
oil the north, and by the Atlantic Ocean on the south, 
Ihere is a margin of several miles, on each side, in the 
Actual possession of human beings. 
“ The region in which these birds reside lies mostly 
'rithin the towns of Oysterbay, Huntington, Islip, 
Smithtown, and Brookhuveu; though it would be 
incorrect to say, that they were not to be met with 
*nmetimes in Hiverhead and Southampton. Their ter- 
ritory has been defined by some sportsmen, as situated 
between Hempstead Plain on the west, and Shinnccock 
’’lain on the east. 
“ The more popular name for them is heath-hens. 
®y this they are designated in the act of our legislature 
*br the preservatiou of them and of other game. I 
^'ell remember the passing of this law ; The bill was 
introduced by Cornelius J. Bogert, Esq. a member of 
^•i* Assembly from the city of New York. It was in 
‘be mouth of February, 1791, the year when, as a 
Representative from my native county of Qiieeus, I sat, 
nr the first time, in a legislature. 
I'OL. II. X 
11 
