58 



LIFE HISTORIES OF NOKTIJ AME1UGAN BIRDS. 



acquainted with the habits of Franklin's Grouse your inclination might be 

 gratified in such localities MS here described, viz, along the edges of wet or 

 swampy mountain valleys, the so-called "Ca'mas prairies," or the borders of 

 the numerous little streams found in such regions among groves or thickets 

 of spruce and tamarack. Few naturalists have as yet been, sufficiently inter- 

 ested to invade their favorite haunts. They are also quite abundant on the 

 Lolo trail over the Hitter Root Mountains, from the Nez Perc<3 Indian Reser- 

 vation to Missoula, Montana. I have met with them here as well as in the 

 Salmon River Mountains, south of Mount Idaho, at an altitude of from G,000 

 to !),000 feet, during the Nez Percti campaign in the summer of 1877, but 

 had no time then to observe their habits closely. 



In the summer of 1881 I found a single covey, numbering about ten birds, 

 in the low, flat and densely timbered region between the southern end of 

 Pend d'Oreille Lake (the old steamboat landing) and Lake Coeur d'Alene, 

 Idaho, at an altitude not exceeding 3,500 feet, I should think. I bagged three 

 of these birds, and was quite surprised to find them in such a locality. As far 

 as I have been able to learn, they usually occurred only at altitudes from 

 ">,(>( 10 to 9,000 feet, and scarcely ever left the higher mountains. They were 

 scratching in the dust on the trail I was following, and simply ran into the 

 thick underbrush on each side, where they were quickly hidden. 



Franklin's Grouse is a constant resident wherever found, and abundant 

 enough in certain localities. Large numbers are yearly killed by both Indians 

 and packers; in fact, this Grouse seems to furnish the latter their principal 

 fresh-meat supply during the summer months, and they are by no means 

 unpalatable at this time, as they feed more or less on various berries and 

 grasshoppers, and not so much on the buds and leaves of the spruce and 

 tamarack, as at other seasons of the year. 



According to the best information obtainable, but a single brood is raised 

 in a season, and their actions and drumming during the mating season are 

 similar to those of the Canada Grouse. Nidification begins during the latter 

 part of May or the beginning of June, depending somewhat on altitude and 

 the season. The nesting habits and number of eggs laid to a set appear 

 to be similar to those of the former species. There are no full sets of eggs 

 in the U. S. National Museum collection. 



Among an extremely interesting collection of birds' nests and eggs, made 

 by Mr. R. MacFarlane, chief factor of the Hudson Bay Company, near Stewart 

 Lake, New Caledonia District, British Columbia, during the season of 1889, 

 and throwing much light on the distribution of a number of species found 

 in this little known and practically unexplored territory, are two incomplete 

 sets -of eggs of this bird. 



Three eggs of Franklin's Grouse and one of the Canadian Ruffed Grouse 

 were found in one nest by an Indian near Babine, in the latter part of May, 

 1889, and a second nest, also containing three eggs, was brought to Mr. 

 Mac Fa rlai HI with the parent, by another Indian, who found it near Fort St. 



