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138 



GAME BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



having accomplished its legitimate purpose, a suitable 

 place is selected for the nest, generally under some sage 

 bush. The receptacle for the eggs is a very primitive 

 affair, a slight hollow, sparsely lined with grass and a few 

 feathers; or sometimes the eggs are dropped upon tlie 

 bare ground. These are quite large, olive-bufT in color. 

 tinged with green, covered with dots and spots of choco- 

 late brown, and vary considerably from each other, some 

 being of a pale green tint with sharply de^^ned spots of 

 chocolate, others a pale buff without any tinge of green, 

 thickly covered with fine chocolate dots, or spotted and 

 dotted with the same. These markings are all super- 

 ficial and can be easily wiped off, leaving the tg^ a uni- 

 form greenish white. The number usually found in a 

 nest varies from seven to seventeen, the latter, however, 

 being quite unusual. Ten would seem to be about a fair 

 average. 



About three weeks is the period of incubation, and the 

 hen is a very close sitter, and will seldom leave her nest 

 until almost trodden upon, which occurrence is very 

 likely to happen, as it is such a difficult matter to distin- 

 guish her from the objects around. While the hen is 

 sitting, and also when she is rearing the young, the male 

 takes no share in her duties, nor troubles himself in any 

 way with her cares and anxieties, but amuses himself in 

 the company of other cocks as neglectful of their wives 

 as himself, and they do not join the coveys until the 

 young have attained their full growth. When half 

 grown the flesh of the Sage Hen is very tender and 

 palatable, but even then the bird must be drawn as soon 

 as killed. It is not always easy to flush these birds, as 

 they will run long distances before taking wing, and 

 skulk and hide at every opportunity. But when forced 

 to rise, they flush with a great fluttering of the wings and 



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