The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-02-08
Tfolathe Ameieae .Sp0rIsalla.

wings are only found on the males. VIII
sons description is otherwise correct. ex-
eept as to the weight. He says that when
in good order. the male weighs three and
a half pounds. Now we have weighed
many, probably hundreds, but we have not
found a bird that came up to three pounds,
the average weight in this region being
about two.
They breed in March, and the season
continues through April, and sometimes in
hte and wetspring, through May. Like
the rest Of the grouse family, they are
polygamous. They make their nests on
the ground, in the middle Of the largest
prairies, and lay from ten to fifteen eggs,
nearly as large as those Of hen, and Of a
whitish color. In common seasons, the
young birds can fly by the. first Of July,
and great havoc is made among them by
the market shooters, though they are not
larger than quail, and about as fat to eai
as. a boiled kid glove. Like al young
birds, they then feed principally on insects
but as they grow older, they eat seeds and
other vegetable food, and when the wheat
and oats are ripe, they procure their cbiel
subsistence FROM the grain fields.
In the large and liberal system Of farm.
ing pursued in Illinois, the immense grain
fields contain, even after harvest, enough
scattered grain to supply the grouse, nu.
merous as they are (and we have
seen FIVE hundred of them in one field. J
The immense corn crops of this country
are frequently left standing the largest
part Of the winter, afforiing constant
supply OF their favorite food tothe 4hens, .
as they are called by the farmers; such q
field of standing corn frequently attracting
them for many miles around. When this
supply fails, they eat acorns, buds, seeds.
&C., Frequently taking long flights morning
and night in pursuit Of food.
The proper season for shooting grouse in
Illinois is from the middle Of July to the
frst Of September during that time they
lie well before the dogs, and as they are IN
families consisting of the old cock and hen,
and from ten to fifteen young birds, they
are easily scattered, and with good dogs,
the whole beyy may bepicked up. About
the first to the middle Of September they
collect in focks composed Of several fami-
lies; become wild, 50 that on the approach
of the shooter OF his dogs, the whole pack
win take wing, and hy perhaps mile be-
fore they alight. As the season advances
they become more wild, till by the end Of
October they can only be shot with rife,
as they sit upon fences or trees.
In cold winter mornings, they may be
seen in great numbers, sitting on stacks,
apparently torpid with the cold, and may
frequently be killed with shot gun IN
great numbers When the ground is COW
cred with snow and their food is scarce,
they are caught in vast quantities in box
traps.
- So
during the mouth q January, Of one
year. Ten 'on oi these birds are said to
have been brought to Chicago over one
railroad. The average weight Of these
birds being two pounds, ten tons would
comprise ten thousand birds.
If the other railroads coming into Chica-
go from the west and south brought in as
many more each, il is evident that gentle
men who desire grouse shooting, had bet
ter hasten their coming TO Illinois.
During the SIMMER months the grouse
lie in the long grass Of che prairie during
the night; about sunrise they go into the
grain field to feed there they remain two
or three hours if undisturbed, They then
return to the shelter Of the grass and high
weeds, where they remain quiet till Eve o.
six in the afternoon, when they issue sortl,
in quest Of food. From FIVE o'clock until
dark is the best part Of the day ior shoot