THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
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Tetruo franJclinii .— (Douglas.) 
Peanklin’s Grouse. I believe this bird is but rarely found, and when met 
with is always at a great' altitude west of the Cascades, but on the eastern side 
and along the whole district laying between the Cascades and Rocky Mountains 
it is tolerably abundant, always keeping up in the mountains, and as high as 
7000 ft. above the sea level. It is the most stupid bird imaginable, and when five 
or six are flushed together they fly up into the nearest pine tree and there sit, and 
you may throw sticks and stones at them, until you are tired, and they will not be 
frightened. I have often killed one or two in a tree where others were sitting 
without their attempting to fly away. They remain in the deep woods and 
sheltered places during the winter, and feed on the leaves of the pine tree. They 
begin nesting in May, and in proceeding from Colville to the Rocky Mountains I 
saw lots of chicken in June and July not long from the nest.. I do not think these 
birds pair, in the strict sense of the word, but from the large number of females 
compared to males, I am disposed to think that one cock has the run of several 
hens. I never succeeded in obtaining the eggs, but the mature birds and chicken 
are set up in the British Museum. This grouse appears to represent Tetrao 
canadensis of the eastern side, and in habits and distribution is very similar. 
Pedioecetes phasianellus .— (Baird.) 
Sharp-tailed Grouse. This handsome bird I met with only between the Cas¬ 
cades and Rocky Mountains, and to the prairies and sand plains here, is just what the 
pinnated grouse or prairie hen is to the prairies on the eastern side. In August 
and September before they begin to pack, and when in coveys or broods, they afford 
admirable sport, rising boldly out of the grass with a loud whirring noise, and go 
away straight and sharp as an arrow: but about October they commence packing 
and pitch on fence rails, or trees, but at all times shy and wary, and not very easily 
approached. They live on the open sand plain and grassy prairies, especially liking 
the banks of little streams thinly skirted with timber. Round the Osoyoos lakes 
I found them in great abundance : their flesh is brown, but very delicious. I never 
got their eggs, but I saw the old nests in the grass on the tobacco plains near the 
Kootanie river; it was just a hole scraped out in the sand, lined with a few 
straggling grass fibres and feathers. I should say the average number of young 
was from 10 to 15. These birds remain all the winter in some sheltered gorge, 
their thickly feathered feet enabling them to run easily on the snow. They have a 
curious call, rapidly repeated when first flushed or frightened. They run with great 
rapidity, and so much does the back of the bird resemble sand and brown leaves 
and grass that when squatted down it is almost impossible to make them out. 
Bonasa sabinii .— (Baird.) 
Oregon Grouse—Ruffed Grouse. This grouse is common on Vancouver 
Island and along the whole course of the Boundary line to near the summit of 
the Rocky Mountains. It is delicious eating, but affords but very indifferent sport 
as a game bird, perching in a tree immediately it rises and crouching down the long 
way of the branch, most effectively conceals itself from notice; they are not easily 
frightened, and often two or three may be shot on a tree without the others flying 
off. There is one well-marked variety of this grouse, although it is scarcely- 
entitled to be made a new species, as I sometimes find traces of intermediate 
gradation of colour—the marked difference is in the colour of the tail feathers, the 
one being reddish brown, the other ash colour—but the transverse markings are the 
same. 1 shot adult males and females with ash-coloured tails, but nearly always 
