PINNATED GROUSE. 
831 
the cup containing the n ater was placed. Happening, 
one day, to let some water fall on the cage, it trickled 
down in drops along the bars, which the bird no sooner 
observed, tlian she e.agerly picked them off, drop by 
drop, with a dexterity that shewed she had been 
habituated to this mode of (lueuching her thirst ; and, 
probable, to this mode only, in those dry and barren 
tracts, whci-e, except the drops of dew, and drops of 
rain, water is very rarely to be met « itli. For the 
space of a week lie watched her closely, to discover 
whether she still refused to drink ; but, though she was 
constantly fed on Indian corn, the cup and water still 
remained untouched and uutasted. Yet no sooner did 
he again sprinkle water on the bars of the rage, than 
she eae-erlv and rapidly picked them oft as before. 
The” last, and, probably, the strongest inducement 
to their preferring these plains, is the small .acorn ot 
the shrub oak ; the strawberries, huckleberries, and 
partridgeberries, with which they abound and which 
constitute the principal part, ot the food of these birds. 
These hnishythiediets also afford them excellent shelter, 
hein'r almost impciictralde to dogs or birds ot prey. 
Inwall these jdaees where they inhabit, they are, in 
the strictest sense of the word, resident; having their 
particular liaunts, and places of rendezvous, (as described 
m the preceding account,) to which they are strongly 
attached Yet they have been known to abandon an 
entire tr.act of such country, when, from whatever cause 
H min-ht proceed, it became again covered with forest. 
Afew miles south of the town of Yoik,in Pennsylvania, 
commences an extent of country, formerly of the clui- 
i-acter described, now chiefly covered with wood, but 
still retaining tlie name of Barrens. In the recollection 
of an old man born in that part of the country, this 
tract abounded with grouse. The timber groniiig up, 
in pronress of years, these birds totally disappeared ; 
and, for a long period of lime, be bad seen none of 
Biem, until, migrating with bis family to Kentucky, on 
entering the Barrens, he, one morning, recognized the 
^ell known music of liis old ac€[uaintance, the grouse ; 
