198 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



passed until finally they have assembled again. They do not 

 fly until nearly under the foot, and when the hen is incubating 

 she sits even more closely. After the first brood is hatched the 

 male is said to take charge of them while a second installment 

 is being hatched, and there have been recorded instances where 

 the male bird assumed the work of incubation when its mate 

 was accidentally killed. 



The young grow rapidly after hatching, and are flufly balls 

 of down, being chestnut above and grayish buff below, with a 

 pale patch on the throat, and a darkish line beneath the eye. 

 The food of the species is quite variable, during the summer 

 many worms, beetles and similar insects and their larvae being 

 eaten, while wheat, rye, oats, barley and the seeds of various 

 weeds such as Polygonums, Helianthus, Setaria, Desmodium, and 

 similar weeds and berries such as the fruit of GauUheria, 

 Mitchella, Vaccinmm, Viburnum, Cornus, Rnbus and in fact a 

 great variety of similar material is eaten in season. 



Much if not all of the grain eaten is such as is left behind 

 in harvesting, while the large number of weed seeds eaten in 

 fall and winter renders this species decidedly beneficial. 



Subfamily TETRAONIN^E. Grouse. 

 Genus CANACHITES Stejneger. 



298c. Canachites canadensis canace (Linn.). Canadian 

 Spruce Grouse; Wood Partridge; Black Grouse; Spotted 

 Grouse; Spruce Partridge. 



Plumage of adult male : a bright red bare spot above each eye ; upper 

 parts barred black, ashy gray and grayish brown ; tail black with a rufous 

 tip ; throat and breast black with an intervening area of the same color as 

 the back and another of black and white; sides mottled black and gray 

 brown ; otherwise below black with white tipped feathers. Plumage of adult 

 female and immature : above black and rufous with ashy gray tips to the 

 feathers ; throat and upper breast barred and sides mottled with black and 

 rufous ; other under parts black with white tips to feathers and more or less 

 rufous suffusions ; tail black with rufous tips and mottled with same. Wing 

 6.50 to 7.50 ; bill from nostril 0.44 ; tarsus 4.60. 



