BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
107 
Subfamily TETRAONDLE. Grouse. 
Genus BON AS A Stephens. 
Bonasa umbellus (Linn.). 
Ruffed Grouse; Pheasant; Partridge. 
Description ( Plate 65). 
Head with lengthened crest; above variously marked with different shades of 
black, brown, gray and whitish ; lower parts much lighter, white or buff, with 
many broad bars of black or brown ; long neck-ruffle of male glossy black with 
violet reflections ; female with neck ruffle smaller and generally more brown. Tail 
oi eighteen long feathers is gray or reddish-brown, with numerous transverse and 
irregular bars. Length about 18 inches ; extent about 24 ; tail 7. 
Habitat. —Eastern United States, south to North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi 
and Arkansas. 
The Ruffed Grouse is known generally throughout Pennsylvania as 
the Pheasant, but in some parts of the northeastern counties it is usually 
called “Partridge,” a name by which the quail is commonly designated 
in most parts of this state. The grouse is an abundant resident in the 
mountains, wooded and thinly populated districts of Pennsylvania. In 
the northern tier of counties and also in the counties of Lackawanna, 
Wyoming, Sullivan, Huntingdon, Lycoming, Schuylkill, Clinton, Cen¬ 
tre, Elk, Clearfield, Cameron, Westmoreland, Bedford, Perry, Forest 
and some few more, large numbers of these well-known game birds are 
killed every year. The Lehigh Valley railroad will take you to good 
shooting grounds in Carbon, Luzerne, Wyoming and Bradford counties, 
and excellent sport can be had shooting grouse in the neighborhood of 
Scranton and in the vicinity of Montrose, Susquehanna connty, both of 
which places are reached by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 
railroad. The Hudson Canal Company’s roads traverse sections of 
Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties, where grouse are reported to 
be particularly numerous. The Beech Creek railroad and the Northern 
Central railroad (Elmira and Canandaigua division), as well as the Phil¬ 
adelphia and Erie railroad, go through some of the best Pheasant 
grounds I have ever visited. 
Dr. Coues says: “The ‘drumming’sound for which this bird is 
noted, is not vocal, as many suppose, but is produced by rapidly beat¬ 
ing the wings.” During the breeding season and at other times, if not 
continually harassed by sportsmen, the grouse is tame and unsuspicious. 
The nest is made on the ground, and consists principally of leaves ; it is 
always placed in the interior of woods, and is usually concealed by a log 
or thick bushes. The eggs are a yellowish-white color and number 
about fifteen. I once found a nest with mine eggs, in which incubation 
was well advanced. E. A. Samuels, in his entertaining work, “ Our 
