NOVA SCOTIA BUFFED GROUSE 177 



or more above one's head. Among them, grouse after grouse can buzz away 

 unseen, while, in addition, the tremendous fronds combine to form a most 

 baffling light. 



BONASA UMBELLUS THAYERI Bangs 

 NOVA SCOTIA RUFFED GROUSE 



HABITS 



The ruffed grouse of Nova Scotia had long been recognized and 

 was finally described by Out ram Bangs (1912) under the name B. u. 

 thayeri, given in honor of Col. John E. Thayer. He designates it as 



similar to Bonasa umbellus togata (Linn.) but general color of upper parts 

 darker, more dusky or sooty, less grayish; the whole underparts (except throat) 

 heavily and regularly banded with dusky, the dark bauds much blacker and 

 much more boldly contrasted against the ground color — less blended. 



B. umbellus thayeri presents two phases of coloration, which are both very 

 dark, and not very different ; a phase in which there is much dull chestnut or 

 burnt sienna in the upper parts and tail and another in which the tail is 

 wholly dull gray and black and the upper parts are but little varied with dark 

 chestnut markings. The color and markings of the underparts is not different 

 in the two phases, except that very reddish birds sometimes have the bases of 

 the feathers of the upper chest dull chestnut instead of dusky. 



Bangs says further in regard to it: 



Some years ago I was accustomed to go shooting every autumn in Nova 

 Scotia, and each season I was more and more impressed by the very dark 

 coloration of the Ruffed Grouse killed there. I therefore made into skins 

 during my last two shooting trips to this province a series of sixteen Grouse. 



It is probable that the new form is confined to the almost insular province 

 of Nova Scotia, although I cannot be sure about the bird from the coast of 

 New Brunswick as the specimens I have before me are in worn midsummer 

 plumage, and not comparable with the Nova Scotia specimens, all of which were 

 taken in October. 



We have no reason to think that the habits of this grouse, or any 

 of the chapters in its life history, are essentially different from those 

 of its neighbors in other parts of Canada where the environment is 

 similar. 



Eggs. — The eggs are indistinguishable from those of other ruffed 

 grouse. The measurements of 47 eggs average 40.5 by 30.5 milli- 

 meters; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 44 by 33, 37.9 

 by 30, and 40 by 29.2 millimeters. 



BONASA UMBELLUS YUKONENSIS Grinnell 

 YUKON RUFFED GROUSE 



HABITS 



The ruffed grouse of the interior of Alaska and Yukon is, according 

 to Dr. Joseph Grinnell (1916), the " largest and palest of the races of 

 Bonasa umbellus; nearest like B. u. umbelloides, but general colora- 



