THE SHAKP-TAILED GROUSE. 85 



of grass, and frequently under a bush. It is of very 

 simple construction, being made of a few blades of coarse 

 grass. The eggs, which vary in number from ten to fif- 

 teen, are greenish-white in color, with occasional dots of 

 dark olive. The hen is one of the most faithful of moth- 

 ers, for she will frequently stay on the eggs until she is 

 nearly trodden ui3on, and sometimes until she is killed. 

 When she hears footsteps approaching she lies very close, 

 hoping to escape observation, and this she generally does, 

 as she resembles the landscape in hue, and hugs the 

 ground so closely that it requires a sharp pair of eyes to 

 notice her form amid the grass. The young are able to 

 run about and provide their own food soon after being 

 hatched, but the hen seldom lets them go far awtiy from 

 her, as she keeps steadily calling to them with motherly 

 clucks. If a person approaches the brood while they are 

 roaming abroad, she sounds an immediate alarm, and 

 when they rush for concealment she exposes herself freely 

 to attract attention from them, until she thinks they are 

 safe, when she darts away with a loud whirr, and remains 

 away until the threatened or supposed danger is past, 

 then rejoins them, and pours out endearments in numer- 

 ous gentle clucks. 



When the chickens are old enough to fly they resort to 

 the undergrowth, and the shrubbery that fringe fields 

 and streams, to feed on the snowberry and other fruits 

 of which they are very fond. The chickens are exceed- 

 ingly tame, and lie well to a dog; in fact they lie too well 

 sometimes, as persons must give them headway before 

 shooting, for fear of tearing them into shreds. When 

 they alight after being flushed, they stand as motionless 

 as statues, but on seeing their foe approach they squat so 

 close to the ground that it is extremely difficult to see 

 them, even though one should be within a few feet of 

 them. A good dog is therefore requisite for finding 

 them^ and with such a staunch assistant they afford as 



