NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 143 



fourteen in number ; average size of ten eggs is i.yox 1.20. The shape 

 is characteristic, being like those of the Ptarmigan in form- 

 Mr. J. Parker Norris has sent me the following interesting account 

 of the breeding of the Canada Grouse in captivity. It forms the basis 

 of an article which is shortly to appear in The Ornithologist and 

 Oologist : 



" Mr. Watson Bishop, of Kentville, N. S., wrote me that it is almost 

 impossible to find the nest of this species in its wild state, and being 

 desirous of obtaining some of their eggs, he built an enclosure about 

 thirty feet square, and high enough to walk about in, out of strips of 

 board three inches wide, leaving spaces of about two inches between 

 them to let in light and air. He then caught six hens and one cock. 

 They became very tame in the course of time, and seemed perfectly 

 satisfied with their new home. They did not appear frightened when 

 Mr. Bishop went in to feed them, and came around him just like 

 domestic fowls. 



"The male bird strutted before the hens after the manner of birds 

 of this family, and in course of time the hens began to lay. Separate 

 compartments were furnished them, and the clutches were one of six- 

 teen, one of fifteen, two of thirteen, one of eleven and one of eight 

 eggs. 



" Mr. Bishop very kindly presented me the set of eight eggs, and 

 they are now in my cabinet. They closely resemble the eggs figured 

 by Mr. Capen in his Oology of New England, but the ground color is 

 of a more reddish tint. Regarding the other sets Mr. Bishop says : 



" The set of sixteen are more rounded. The largest egg measures 

 1.71x1.26, the next largest, 1.67x1.26, and the smallest, 1.60x1.24. 

 The ground color is of a deep cream tint, thickly spotted. The 

 set of fifteen have a much deeper ground color, inclining to buffy red, 

 and are also thickly spotted with deep red. The largest is i-75x 1.24, 

 the smallest, 1.73 x 1.24, and they are more pointed at the smaller end 

 than the preceding set. One set of thirteen was laid by a young hen, 

 and measure: Largest, 1.71x1.23; smallest, 1.60x1.28. They are very 

 even in size, and ground color, which is of a deep cream ; but the 

 spotting varies in intensity. The other set of thirteen measure : 

 Largest, 1.85 x 1.22 ; smallest, i. 78 x 1.21, and are quite pointed. Ground 

 color not as dark as the set of eight, and they are finely dotted all 

 over. When first laid the colors are easily rubbed off. 



" They are very handsome eggs, and Mr. Bishop is certainly to be 

 congratulated on the success of his experiment." 



