PINNATED GROUS. 
25 
“The birds which are known there emphatically by the name 
of Grouse, inhabit chiefly the forest-range. This district of the 
island may be estimated as being between forty and fifty miles 
in length, extending from Bethphage in Queen’s county to the 
neighbourhood of the court-house in Suflblk. Its breadth is not 
more than six or seven. For although the island is bounded by 
the Sound separating it from Connecticut on the north, and by 
the Atlantic ocean on the south, there 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 within 
the towns of Oysterbay, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown, and 
Brook-haven; though it would be incorrect to say, that they 
were not to be met with sometimes in Riverhead and South- 
hampton. — Their territory has been defined by some sportsmen, 
as situated between Hempstead-plain on the west, and Shinne- 
cock-plain on the east. 
“ The more popular name for them is Heath-hens. By this 
they are designated in the act of our legislature for the preser- 
vation of them and of other game. I well remember the pass- 
ing of this law. The bill was introduced by Cornelius J. Bog- 
ert, esq. a member of the assembly from the city of New York. 
It was in the month of February, 1791. 
“The statute declares among other things, that the person 
who shall kill any Heath-hen within the counties of Suflblk or 
Queens, between the first day of April and the fifth day of Oc- 
tober, shall for every such oflence, forfeit and pay the sum of 
two dollars and a half, to be recovered with costs of suit, by any 
person who shall prosecute for the same, before any justice of 
the peace, in either of the said counties; the one half to be paid 
to the plaintilF, and the other half to the overseers of the poor. 
And if any Heath-hen so killed, shall be found in the possession 
of any person, he shall be deemed guilty of the oflence, and suf- 
fer the penalty. But it is provided, that no defendant shall be 
convicted unless the action shall be brought within three months 
after the violation of the law.* 
* The doctor has probably forgotten a circumstance of rather a ludicrous kind 
VOL. III. E 
