GROUSE, PARTRIDGES 197 



The birds prefer to frequent fields, pastures, thickets and 

 similar locations where there is more or less open territory, 

 as well as shelter among the bushes and briers immediately at 

 hand. In the breeding season only a family is found in a 

 given small territory, later on if successful in rearing young 

 the whole family and young remaining together through the 

 winter but not showing a tendency to any extent to unite with 

 other family groups. At the beginning of the mating season 

 the family scatters. 



The nest is placed on the ground at the foot of a small bush 

 in a pasture or near a fence or shrub in a field or in a similar 

 situation. The number of eggs laid seems extremely variable, 

 some nests containing seven or eight incubated eggs while 

 others have been found containing thirty-seven eggs. 



As nests which have been watched by certain parties have 

 been found to have eggs added at the rate of two or even three 

 in a day, there seems to be no doubt in some cases that as 

 many as three hens may lay in the same nest, but this is likely 

 exceptional. It seems very probable that the normal product 

 of one female is from eight to fifteen eggs, and when more are 

 found, showing variation in size or shape it seems quite con- 

 clusive that they are the product of at least two females. 



A nest containing seventeen fresh eggs is now before me, these 

 being taken at Wayland, Missouri, May 16, 1897- The nest 

 was composed of grass with a lining of grass and a few leaves, 

 placed near a fence in a meadow and well concealed. The 

 eggs are pure white, very blunt at one end and pointed at the 

 other and measure 1.14 x 0.96, 1.20 x 0.94, 1.21 x 0.92, 1.15 

 xO.92, 1.22 X 0.96, 1.18 x 0.97, 1.18 x 0.95, 1.15x0.95, 

 1.18 x 0.96, 1.15 X 0.96, 1.14 x 0.94, 1.15 x 0.96, 1.12 x 0.96, 

 1.15 X 0.96, 1.14 X 0.95, 1.15 x 0.94, 1.13 x 0.96. This set in 

 question seems to have been the product of two hens. 



These birds roost on the ground in a compact bunch, heads 

 outward and when flushed scatter in all directions, to utter low 

 "whit, whit" varied by a twittering call after the danger has 



