house laden with spoil, but next evening not a Grouse was to be found in the meadow, although I am confident that several hundred had escaped.
On the ground the Pinnated Grouse exhibits none of the elegance of manner observed in the Ruffed Grouse, but walks more like the Common Hen, although in a more erect attitude. If surprised it rises at once with a moderate whirring sound of the wings; but if it happens to see you at a distance and the place is clear, it instantly runs off with considerable speed and stops at thefirst tuft of high grass or bunch of briar, when it squats and remains until put up. In newly ploughed grounds I have seen them run with all their might, their wings partially expanded, until suddenly meeting with a large clod, they would stop, squat and disappear in a moment. During the noontide hours several may often be seen dusting themselves near each other, either on the ploughed fields or the dry sandy roads, and rearranging their feathers in a moment in the same manner as the Wild Turkey. Like the Common Fowls, they watch each other’s motions, and if one has discovered a grasshopper and is about to chase it, all the rest within sight of it either fly or run up to the place. When the mother of a brood is found with her young ones she instantly ruffles up her feathers and often looks as if she would fly at you; but this she never ventures to do, although she tries every art to decoy you from the place. On large branches of trees these birds walk with great ease, but on small ones they require the aid of their wings to enable them to walk steadily. They usually, if not always, roost singly within a few feet of each other and on such little eminences as the ground affords. I have found them invariably fronting the wind, or the quarter from which it was to blow. It is only during the early age of the young birds that they sit on the ground in a circle.
Theflight of thePrairie Hen is strong, regular, tolerably swift, and at times protracted to the distance of several miles. The whirring of its wings is less conspicuous than that of the Ruffed Grouse or “Pheasant” (
Tetrao umbellus
), and its flight is less rapid. It moves through the air with frequent beats, after which it sails with the wings bent downwards, balancing itself for a hundred yards or more as if to watch the movements of its pursuer, for at this time they can easily be observed to look behind them as they proceed. They never rise when disturbed without uttering four or five distinct clucks, although at other times they fly off in silence. They are easily shot down by a calm sportsman but are very apt to deceive a young hand. In the western country they rarely stand before thepointer, and I think thesetter is a more profitable dog there. In the Eastern states, however, pointers, as I am informed, are principally employed. These birds rarely wait the approach of the sportsman, but often rise when he is at such a distance as to render it necessary for him to be very prompt in firing. Unlikeother species, they seldom pass over you even when you surprise them, and if the country is wooded, they frequently alight on the highest branches of the tallest trees, where they are usually more accessible. If shot almost dead, they fall and turn round on the ground with great violence until life is extinct; but when less injured, they run with great celerity to some secluded place, where they remain so quiet and silent as to render it difficult to find them without a good dog. Their flesh is dark, and resembles that of theRed Grouse of Scotland or theSpotted Grouse of North America.
The curious notes emitted in the love season are peculiar to the male. When the receptacles of air, which in form, color and size resemble a small orange, are perfectly inflated, the bird lowers its head to the ground, opens its bill and sends forth, as it were, the air contained in these bladders in distinctly separated notes, rolling one after another from loud to low and
On the ground the Pinnated Grouse exhibits none of the elegance of manner observed in the Ruffed Grouse, but walks more like the Common Hen, although in a more erect attitude. If surprised it rises at once with a moderate whirring sound of the wings; but if it happens to see you at a distance and the place is clear, it instantly runs off with considerable speed and stops at thefirst tuft of high grass or bunch of briar, when it squats and remains until put up. In newly ploughed grounds I have seen them run with all their might, their wings partially expanded, until suddenly meeting with a large clod, they would stop, squat and disappear in a moment. During the noontide hours several may often be seen dusting themselves near each other, either on the ploughed fields or the dry sandy roads, and rearranging their feathers in a moment in the same manner as the Wild Turkey. Like the Common Fowls, they watch each other’s motions, and if one has discovered a grasshopper and is about to chase it, all the rest within sight of it either fly or run up to the place. When the mother of a brood is found with her young ones she instantly ruffles up her feathers and often looks as if she would fly at you; but this she never ventures to do, although she tries every art to decoy you from the place. On large branches of trees these birds walk with great ease, but on small ones they require the aid of their wings to enable them to walk steadily. They usually, if not always, roost singly within a few feet of each other and on such little eminences as the ground affords. I have found them invariably fronting the wind, or the quarter from which it was to blow. It is only during the early age of the young birds that they sit on the ground in a circle.
Theflight of thePrairie Hen is strong, regular, tolerably swift, and at times protracted to the distance of several miles. The whirring of its wings is less conspicuous than that of the Ruffed Grouse or “Pheasant” (
Tetrao umbellus
), and its flight is less rapid. It moves through the air with frequent beats, after which it sails with the wings bent downwards, balancing itself for a hundred yards or more as if to watch the movements of its pursuer, for at this time they can easily be observed to look behind them as they proceed. They never rise when disturbed without uttering four or five distinct clucks, although at other times they fly off in silence. They are easily shot down by a calm sportsman but are very apt to deceive a young hand. In the western country they rarely stand before thepointer, and I think thesetter is a more profitable dog there. In the Eastern states, however, pointers, as I am informed, are principally employed. These birds rarely wait the approach of the sportsman, but often rise when he is at such a distance as to render it necessary for him to be very prompt in firing. Unlikeother species, they seldom pass over you even when you surprise them, and if the country is wooded, they frequently alight on the highest branches of the tallest trees, where they are usually more accessible. If shot almost dead, they fall and turn round on the ground with great violence until life is extinct; but when less injured, they run with great celerity to some secluded place, where they remain so quiet and silent as to render it difficult to find them without a good dog. Their flesh is dark, and resembles that of theRed Grouse of Scotland or theSpotted Grouse of North America.
The curious notes emitted in the love season are peculiar to the male. When the receptacles of air, which in form, color and size resemble a small orange, are perfectly inflated, the bird lowers its head to the ground, opens its bill and sends forth, as it were, the air contained in these bladders in distinctly separated notes, rolling one after another from loud to low and
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