160 THE SHARP- TAILED GROUSE. 



breeds on the ground, near some brushwood, making 

 a loose nest of grass, and lining it with feathers. 

 Here the female lays from nine to thirteen eggs, 

 which are white, spotted with blackish. The young 

 are hatched about the middle of June ; they utter a 

 piping noise, somewhat like chickens. Attempts 

 have been repeatedly made to domesticate them, but 

 have as constantly failed, all the young, though care- 

 fully nursed by their step-mother, the common lien, 

 dying one after another, probably for want of suit- 

 able food. This species has several cries : the cock 

 has a shrill crowing note, rather feeble ; and both 

 sexes, when disturbed, or whilst on the wing, repeat 

 frequently the cry of cack, each. This well known 

 sound conducts the hunter to their hiding place, and 

 they are also detected by producing with their small, 

 lateral, rigid tail-feathers, a curious noise, resembling 

 that made by a winnowing fan. When in good or- 

 der, one of these grouse will weigh upwards of two 

 pounds, being very plump. Their flesh is of a light 

 brown colour, and very compact, though, at the same 

 time, exceedingly juicy and well tasted, being far 

 superior in this respect to the common ruffed, and 

 approaching in excellence the delicious pinnated 

 grouse. 



The adult male is about sixteen inches in length. 

 The general colour a mixture of white, different 

 shades of dark and light chestnut, on a rather deep 

 and glossy blackish ground. The tail is composed 

 of eighteen feathers, the centre ones, according to 



