116 NIDIFICATION. 



often only a single sustained tih, vibrating or quivering 

 towards its termination. 



The female makes her very artless nest in a small 

 cavity, which she herself scratches in the ground, and 

 lays from eight to twelve eggs of a pale yellow colour, 

 marked with brown spots. " The chicks are hatched 

 about Midsummer, and in the course of a very few days, 

 and when they are only feathered on the wings and 

 tail, begin to fly." 



It is asserted that the male keeps company with the 

 female until incubation commences, when he deserts her 

 for a season, and in the interval wanders alone in the 

 forest ; but as soon as the chicks are nearly full-grown, 

 and have acquired the call-note of their mother, he 

 rejoins his family, and keeps with it during the winter, 

 until the return of the pairing season in the spring. 

 The like is related of the Fjdll-R'qKi, a species of grouse, 

 of which hereafter. 



The Hazel-Hen is readily domesticated, though I have 

 seen the contrary stated in a recent publication. I speak 

 partly from my own experience, having had more than 

 one in confinement that had been captured when full- 

 grown ; but chiefly on that of others. We are told, for 

 instance, by M. Wilhelm von Wright that "as an aviary 

 bird it is beyond everything tame and amusing to its 

 owner. The more people are about it the sooner will it 

 become reconciled to confinement. The first days of its 

 captivity, however, it will not eat anything, but 

 endeavours to conceal itself in a corner of its prison- 

 house ; for which reason it is best to leave it to itself, 

 after placing water and food before it. K-ed wortle- 

 berries and juniper berries are the best to give it in the 

 first instance ; but hemp seed, barley, buck-wheat, and 

 other kinds of grain, it eats with avidity after it has once 

 partaken of them. To induce it to drink, some berries 



