THE GROUSE FAMILY 59 



latter impede the spread into the pen of insect life, which 

 is very important for the young. 



Second Laying. Usually the ruffed grouse in confinement 

 lays but one clutch of eggs in a season. From nine to thir- 

 teen eggs may be expected, though in the wild state I have 

 known them to lay sixteen. If the clutch is taken soon after 

 being laid, it is possible that a second may be produced if 

 the pen is large. Most wild birds which raise but one brood 

 will lay again if the first eggs are taken while fresh or nearly 

 so. Such accidents may account for late broods sometimes 

 found. A plan suggested to me by H. B. Bridges is that the 

 pens of moderate size be connected with a large enclosure, 

 open above, and that wing-clipped stock, after having their 

 first set taken, be turned into the larger area, in which case 

 they would probably lay again. In a large enclosure the 

 males would not be so likely to hurt each other. 



Privacy. Grouse seem more sensitive to disturbance in 

 laying time than the quail, and they should be given the 

 utmost possible privacy. The nest should not be closely 

 approached nor the eggs touched or removed before the 

 laying is complete, and not at all if the grouse is to incubate. 

 Do not allow any stranger to approach. Only the same 

 attendant should have access to them in nesting time. 



Chicks Tame. Where the grouse is allowed to rear her 

 own young they grow up rather shy. The opposite is the 

 case when they are raised by a hen. In that case, they are 

 exceedingly tame. They pay no attention even to a stranger, 

 and, in their absorbed search for insects, even allow them- 

 selves to be stepped on. When the chicks are small I have 

 to watch every step while in the pen. On the whole, the 

 grouse is rather more likely to raise her brood than the hen 

 would be, yet even she frequently fails, particularly if the 

 pen is not large. 



