252 
FRANK FORESTERS FIELD SPORTS. 
I never in my life heard a sportsman advocate shooting Quail 
in July, because it is easier to kill them then , than in November. 
Again, that it is not impossible to kill Grouse—Prairie Hen— 
in the autumn and winter, is rendered sufficiently evident by the 
quantity of these birds, killed with shot, which are exposed an¬ 
nually for sale in the New York and Philadelphia markets, over 
and above all those which are consumed in their native regions. 
Lastly, the reasoning on the number of the birds, is precisely 
that which has led to their annihilation in the Eastern and Mid 
land States, and even in Kentucky, and which is equally applicable 
to every species of game in every district where it is abundant. 
I have heard the very same soil; of talk held by countrymen, 
in defence of the vile practice of shooting Woodcock in spring, 
where there were then thousands of those birds. The conse¬ 
quence of that talk is, that there are now none in those regions. 
The truth is, that until the middle of September, the young birds 
are not very strong on the wing,—after that period they become 
gradually wilder and stronger, and take longer flights, some¬ 
times even to the distance of two or three miles in open country. 
Their flight is less rapid than that of the Ruffed Grouse, 
though of the same character. It does not make so loud a 
whirring as it first rises, but once on the wing, uses the same 
straight even course, maintained for some distance by frequent 
beats of the wings, after which it will float for several hundred 
yards at a time on balanced pinions, with the velocity gathered 
from its previous course. It is said very rarely to pass over the 
person who flushes it, even by the most sudden surprise. 
It feeds on stubbles and in maize-fields, and is to be hunted 
for in the vicinity of such grounds, where it will be found in the 
greatest abundance. On open prairie-grounds, the highest and 
speediest rangers are, of course, the best dogs over which to 
shoot the Grouse, as is the case with the Scottish red game, 
provided always that the animal has good nose enough to stand 
them at a long distance, and is staunch enough to allow the 
sportsman to come up from a distance, without moving on, or 
flushing his birds. 
