B O N A S A U M B I i L L U S ,
liUFFEI) «ROUSE,
TUTH-VO l'MliliLLUS. lànii,, Sy?t. Nat., voi i„ 275 (170G).—Omcl,, voi. ¡., p. 782.—Wils. Ani, Oinith., voi, vl(I812), p. 40, pl4 0 .—Boii, OK
WiU., 1K25, p. 1S2.—Ami. Ornitli. Biog,, voi, i,, 1831, pp. 211 and 200, pL41.—Id. Syn., 1839. p. 202.—!d. B. of Ani., voi. v., 1842,
p. 72, pi. 293.
TIvlKAO (BONASIA) l'MBELLUS. Boiip., Syn. 182S, pp. 120.—Id. Moii. Tctrao, Am. l’hil. Tran?., voi ili., 1830, p. .389.—Nutt., Man., voi. i„
1832, p, 057.
TETRAO TOGATUS. limi., voi, i., 17GC, p. 27.5.-Kor?t„ Pliil, Tran?., i.xn., 1772, p. .393.
TETRAO TYJÌPANUS. Bari., Tniv. in E. Fiori,, 1791, p. 290.
BONASA fMlìEMUS. Stepli. Sliaw’? Gru. Zool., voi. xl, 1824, p. 300,-Bonp., List,, 183«.-Id., Compt. Rcnd., xlv., p. 428.—Baird, B. of
N. Am.-G. R. Gray, (.’at. B. B, Mii.«„ Pt. Ili, p. 40. 1844.
BONASIA UMBELLUS. Bonp,, Gcog. and Comp. LUt. B„ p. 43, No. 282.—Id.. Syn, (1k28), p. 120.
Tni? fine species, known in different localities by the respective names of Partridge aad Plica.saiit, is one of the handsomest in niipc.aranco of
the Grouse faniily. Graceful in its movements, it walks with a firm, proud step, erecting its head, aud opening its tail with a quick, sudden .¡crk.
The Ruffod (ivouse is widely distributed, ms it is found from Maryland nortliward throughout the eastern part of tlic United Sutcs, aud west-
wurd to the Rocky Mountains. I t becomes scarcer iu Virginia, and docs not exist in Soutli Carolina, a t lca.st in tho maritime districts. Tlie malv«
are polygamous, ami al.nudoii tlic females when incubation commences, associating in small parties by fhcm.sclvcs until the autumn, when they join
the hciIs, aud old and young birds lomaiu together until spring. The tliglit of this species is straight, and very raidcl, hut not usually pvotractci
to any great distance. I t rises from the gromid with a prodigious wliirring of the wings, and after iirocecdiiig hy ipiick Happing until mulcr
full headway, coutimics its coiunc by sailing, and gciicrully aliglit.s in some tliick clmiqi of Imshos.
The most peculiar liahit of tlie Ruffed Grouse is that of drumminy. and it is usually practiscil in the sjiring, although the strange sound produced
bv this custom may be heard in the summer and fall, sometimes as late as November. Early in April, the male resorts to sonic ehosoii
log, cv-ei^y iiiomiiig soon after dawn, and again towards sunset, aud is accustomed to strut u|i und down with head drawn back, tail c.xpaiulcd to
its fullest extent, and wings lowered and buzzing against the bark. After a few moments passed iu this way, lie suddenly stops, ami stretches ,,ut
his neck, draws the fcathci-s close to the body, lowers his tail, and beats his sides violently with his wings, increasing the rapidity of the stroke
at every’movement. Tlie sound produced by this- action is not unlike the rolling of distant tlimidcr, and may be heard a cousidcrablc wai' off.
As sooii as the females hear this uoisc they tiy diicctly to the spot, and it is not uiicommou for several hens to be gathered around the male at one
time, udmiriiig his gallant bearing us he thus parades before them. The male, unless disturbed, will resort to the same log throughout the
sea-son: ami those places are easily recognizable by the (pmiitity of feathers and exercment lying avouiid.
The ucst, composed of leaves aud iilaiits, is placed upon the grouud. and contains from ten to twelve yellowish eggs, sometimes spotted with
dull red ; aud these ftcciueutly lieeome the si.oil of some hungry crow, ns the female rarely covera them when she loaves her iiost. The iiiotluu'
cviiiees the greatest affcctiaii'toward.s her young, which follow her as soon .i-s they arc liatelied, and she tries by every means iu her ¡lower, feigning
lameiH'ss, etc., to draw away the uttcntion of her enemies from the helpless brooil iu order to cause pursuit to bo made after lici-self. In this
she is gciici-aily successful: aud when she has drawn her pui-suer to wlint she may consider a sate distance from her young, she suddenly takes wing,
and vetunis by a circuitous flight to the spot from which she was distiirhed.
The Ruffed Grouse feeds upon seeds ami iierrics of all kinds, and also upon the leaves of se-veral species of evergreens, I.ate in the w inter, if
the snow- has been .leep, or of long coutitiuaiice. they eat the leaves of the KalmU, /Mllfolm. nnd their flesh hceoiuos very hitter nud <lisagreeable:
sometimes it is even dangerous to be eaten. They roost iu trees, generally choosing the ¡ilaees where the foliage is thiekesf, taking up
their ¡lositious a t a little distance from each other, Wlicii suddenly startled by a ilog or other aiiiiiml, they will often take refuge iu the nearest
tree, and stand upright close to the trunk, where they will remain so motioiilc.ss that it rel¡uires a practised eye to discover them. The llosh ot
the Ruffod Grouse is white, delicate, and highly esteemed aa an article of fooil : and when half grown, these birds are eagerly sought after, for
uiifortunatoly there is no dish more iu demaiul iu August than chkkcn Par/ridycs : .and although iu some States the flue is very heavy for killing
them a t this season, yet great uuinbei's are destroyed.
The usual resort of this species is the craggy hill-side, and tho rocky borders of streams, where the foliage i.s donse, mul the Imslies very
closely groivii together. Iu the autumn they will leave the momitains, and go down into the warmer tenqioraturo of the swamps to puss
tho winter. These l.iixls have mauy enemies; vurious siieeios of hawks are always ready to pounce upon them: wl.ile foxes, coons, w easels, etc..
destroy both them ami their eggs.
Mr. George A. Boanlman states, tlmt this s|ieeiea is in the habit in winter of sleeping iimicr the snow, and fre<ineiitly, on aeeouiit of a eriist
forming during the uight, through which they arc unable to penetrate, very many are imprisoned mid ¡icrisli from starvation.
The Raffed Grouse muy he desovihed us follows:
Head amlback part of neck, yellowish-vcd; back, deep ehestmit, iiitei-spoi-aed with white spots niargiiicd with black: tail, roddisli-yellow.
barred and mottled with black, with a broad sabtormiiial baud of tlio hit ter color: a bar tlirougli the eye, yellowisli-whlte; throat and lower ¡lart
of breast, browtiiah-ycllow. The foathcvs of the ruff, wliieli are ahv.iys most colls¡^icuous hi the male, nro velvct-lilaek, wilh blue reflection«•.
mulor parts white, with large s[iots of biowiiisli-red; midei--tai!, eovcita mottleil with the same; bill, liorii-eolor, blaek a t tip; lower ¡lart of lm«i
and feet, brown. A great iliffereiiee is observable in spceiiueiis, some being of a grayish bin-, and with gray tail«. This variation, 1 think,
does not i.rove that there arc two species, but merely varieties of the tyiiieal form; ns it is often the ease that the eggs in the same uest will
¡iroduce both styles of coloring.
The plate vepresent.s a male iqioii his log, ivitli a lien siivromuled hy her brooil, obsen ing hia ¡iroiiil attitude. The figures are all hfe-aize.
ROISASA LMBLLLU S.