292 GENERAL HABITS 



sons as well as animals. After a moment or two of this, which <rives the chicks a chance to 

 hide, the hen retreats, squealing and often feipnino; injury. If the intruder does not respond, 

 she may return and repeat the performance. She soon flies off. however. 



Forbush"" reports an unusual exjjerience in which a grouse actually chased a small hov a 

 short distance across a field. 



Nothing has been observed to even suggest that grouse ever carr) their chicks in their beaks, 

 as related by Wilson"" or on their backs, as asserted by Smith'^. 



When the chicks are from a week to ten days old. they begin to acquire the powers of flight. 

 At this time or more often some days earlier, the i)ehavior of the female begins to change. 

 More and more frequently does she fly as soon as the brood is disturbed. Soon, whether she 

 flushes before, with or after the chicks, depends entirely on circumstances and by late summer 

 it is often impossible to distinguish her from the others. 



Daily Ariivities 



Since incubation is not begun until after the full clutch (tf eggs has been laid, all the chicks 

 hatch within a relatively short ])eriod. At this time, only the most innninent danger will cause 

 the female to leave the nest. As the eggs hatch, she broods the chicks until they have thor- 

 oughly dried off. Then, when all are ready, she moves several feet to one side, clucking and 

 calling the while, whereupon the journey of the brood conunences. Any chicks unable to 

 follow arc left behind. Only by accident does the brood e\er rclurn li> the nest site. 



I'ntil the chicks begin to assert their independence in late summer, the female shepherds 

 her brood, drawing their attention to desirable food items and keeping a constant watch for 

 danger. During the first two or three weeks and occasionally thereafter she hovers them at 

 night and protects them during stormy, chilly weather, l^p until they have commenced to fly, 

 she also broods them at intervals through the day. During the latter [)art of the summer, the 

 faniilv group spends many hours sunning and dusting, mainly during the niiddle of the day. 

 On such occasions, llic hen is ciiniparativch inacli\c wiiilc llic chirks |)l;i\ almul her. 



Kxpericnce with broods held under artificial conditions iridicalji's that the degree to which 

 the female "talks" to the chicks as they move along is of major importance with respeit to her 

 ability to control and guide them. An interesting observation in this connection is that, 

 when a brood is disturbed, the female often seems content to move off with onl\ two or three 

 chicks in spite of what may he ha|)pening to the rest. Yet. if the whole brood is threatened, she 

 will display considerable solicitude. 



As the season jirogresses and the chicks develop, the role of llic Icrnalc as guide and protec- 

 tor becomes less im|)ortanl. By Sc|)leinl)cr. the youngsters have l)ecome essenlialh adult and. 

 about the middle of the month, the family grouj) usuall) begins to break up. 



CoiilKil i)j Cliirk.s 



During the earlv weeks before th<' chicks have become strong lliers. the female soon returns 

 after a brood has been flushed. If danger is still |)resenl. she warns the chicks to remain 

 hidden as well as (piicts aoN that begin to peep. The lunod mar lie kept thus concealed for 

 several hours. The female, meanwhile, circles around or somelinics Hies to thi" low branch of 

 a tree. contiiuialU r<-peating her warnings to the chicks. \\ hen she has satislicil herself that 

 the coast is clear, she calls the chicks which quickly gather fmni their hiding |daces. The 

 fdllowiii''. from the field note- of June 12. 1 ').'^2. is lllii^trati\ c : 



