Range. - Eastern United States from Minnesota to New England; south to Virginia.

The Ruffed Grouse is "King of the Game Birds" in the east, where it has been hunted so freely, that it has become very wary and requires a skillful marksman to bring it down. Because of the cutting off of all heavy timber, and the vigor with which they are pursued by hunters, they are becoming very scarce in New England, and within a few years they will probably be practically extinct in that section. Their favorite resorts are heavily timbered woods or low growth birches. Their nests are hollows in the leaves under fallen trees, beside some stump or concealed among the small shoots at the base of a large tree. The bird sits very close, but when she does fly, goes with the familiar rumble and roar which always disconcerts the novice, the wind created by her sudden flight generally causing the leaves to settle in the nest and conceal the eggs. They lay from eight to fifteen eggs, of a brownish buff color, sometimes with a few faint markings of brown, but generally unspotted. Size 1.55 x 1.15. The young of all the Partridges and Grouse are born covered with down and follow their parents soon after leaving the shell. The adults are very skillful in leading enemies away from their young, feigning lameness, broken wings, etc. The nesting habits and eggs of the three sub-species are precisely the same in every respect as those of this bird.

Ruffed Grouse.

Brownish buff.

RUFFED GROUSE.

299 - 300a

300a. Canada Ruffed Grouse. Bonasa Umbellus Togata

Range. - Northern , United States and southern British Provinces from Maine and Nova Scotia west to Washington and British Columbia.

300b. Gray Ruffed Grouse. Bonasa Umbellus Um-Belloides

Range. - Rocky Mountain region from Colorado to Alaska.

A grayer species than the common.

300c. Oregon Ruffed Grouse. Bonasa Umbellus Sabini

Range. - Pacific coast from California to British Columbia.

A dark species with the prevailing color a reddish tone.

J. B. Pardoe NEST AND EGGS OF RUFFED GROUSE,.