The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-06
SPORT WITH GROUSE


and are gathered and killed by boys
hidden near by for the purpose.
All through She east some form OF
the battue is in vogue among hunters.
the natives being as a rule very poor
shots and using guns more for the pur-
pose of making a noise than with de-
structive intent.
In Persia the woods are ground bait
ed for some days before a shooting
party is held. A small kind of bean,
or lentil, OF which partridges seem 10
be fond. is used for the purpose.
Experienced ganekeepers so spread
the bait as to lure the birds toward the
hunting lodge The gunners either
sally out at night to shoot them on
their roosts, or from the wide verandas
take pot shots at them as they pick
up the scattered grain in the early
morning.
On some of the oldest estates the
partridges have been so carefully bred
for color for many years past that the
characteristics of the birds are almost
lost. They present about as many diff
ferences as are to be found among
common barnyard fowls.
He found the francolin. or black
partridge, which is by Italian epicures
esteemed the choicest of dainties. TO
BE- extinct in southern Europe. It is
now preserved and frequently shot in
Cyprus. which is under British rule.
He obtained his specimen in India,
where. like the Canadian variety
known as the swamp partridge. it lives
in marshy woods and is commonly
| looked for in the branches of trees.
! The common partridge Of Hindostan.
however, is the chukar, 4 large red
| legged, crested bird, which does not
really take to flight, and is found at
the edge of forests or about low grow
| ing bushes.
OF the dangers Of the chase in the
sunny east he had an illustration in
India He had in q reckless mood wan
dered away from the bungalow where
he was being entertained while after
game.
He had made a pot shot at a silvery
cClored grouse as it rocketted across
a little opening in the bush, which
wounded and sent it TO the ground a
! little further on. He thOughtlessiy
pushed on to retrieve it, when he came
upon a small leopard, which dropped
the dead bird to snarl at his approach.
Fortunately for him, he did not try
the effect of his bird shot upon the
brute. but keeping his face toward it.
backed out of the woods and hastily
returned to the house. He was assured
by his friends that this particular
short legged but powerful leopard sell
I
without taking life as toll. II was. also
made clear to him by them that he
was bit of fool for Venturing into
the bush alone, with only bird gun.
1t is the opinion of this observer that
! nobody but phlegmatic Briton could
really enjoy a position at a salient
angle of a grouse drive, upon a Scotch
moor. The long hours of waiting, the
uncertainty. or rather wretched Ger
tainty Of the weather, the speed of the
incoming birds, the exciting whirl Of
the rushing wings, the incessant bang
ing of the guns, with keepers to re-
lead the second one always used, i'm
poses an unbearable strain upon
nerves not like iron.
The red shanked grouse preserved
in Scotland is noble bird, and is pc
culiar in that country, though worthy
of wide dissemination because of its
large size and edible qualities. It
should do well, for instance. in Wash
ingtOn state or even in Michigan, he
thinks.
On this side of the water Van der
Weiner has met with two isappoint-
ments. The pheasant of the south is
simply the grouse or partridge of the
north or west; and prairie chickens.
pinnated grouse, are no longer to be
found so easily, or in such large flocks
as he had expected.
For the ruffed grouse or common
partridge, he has a deep respect, de-
rived from its alertness, its steady
quick flight, its size and beauty.
While in Kentucky he came across
a spendid wild turkey. but refrained
from shooting it, being under the i'm
preston that it was under the protec-
ton of the law In his opinion neither
the giant caparcailzie. nor the lovely
peafOwl of India is to be compared with
the turkey gObbler as a game bird, and
ne devoutly hopes that the country will
not allow the determination Of the
finest wild fowl in the whole world.
Just now he is on his way home with
specimens of what he CALAMITY calls
the pearls OF his collection, -the pure,
nun-faced virgins Of the north" the
white partridges. or ptarmigans. Ow-
ing to the extreme severity of the sea-
son. ne had difficulty in reaching the
habitant of these handsome birds. but
found it easy to stalk and get them,
when brought into their vicinity.
He and mis- buide gathered in thirty
of them, and he brought down several
fine frozen carcasses for his museum.
The best of them. he says. the half
breed caught asleep at night, though
how ne managed It was not explained.
New York Sun.