138 GAME BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 
having accomplished its legitimate purpose, a suitable 
place is selected for the nest, generally under some sage 
bush. The receptacle for the eggs is a very primitive 
affair, a slight hollow, sparsely lined with grass and a few 
feathers; or sometimes the eggs are dropped upon the 
bare ground. These are quite large, olive-buff in color, 
tinged with green, covered with dots and spots of choco- 
late brown, and vary considerably from each other, some 
being of a pale green tint with sharply defined spots of 
chocolate, others a pale buff without any tinge of green, 
thickly covered with fine chocolate dots, or spotted and 
dotted with the same. These markings are all super- 
ficial and can be easily wiped off, leaving the egg a uni- 
form greenish white. The number usually found in a 
nest varies from seven to seventeen, the latter, however, 
being quite unusual. Ten would seem to be about a fair 
average. 
About three weeks is the period of incubation, and the 
hen is a very close sitter, and will seldom leave her nest 
until almost trodden upon, which occurrence is very 
likely to happen, as it is such a difficult matter to distin- 
guish her from the objects around. While the hen is 
sitting, and also when she is rearing the young, the male 
takes no share in her duties, nor troubles himself in any 
way with her cares and anxieties, but amuses himself in 
the company of other cocks as neglectful of their wives 
as himself, and they do not join the coveys until the 
young have attained their full growth. When _ half 
grown the flesh of the Sage Hen is very tender and 
palatable, but even then the bird must be drawn as soon 
as killed. It is not always easy to flush these birds, as 
they will run long distances before taking wing, and 
skulk and hide at every opportunity. But when forced 
to rise, they flush with a great fluttering of the wings and 
