440 SPOTTED OR CANADA GROUS. 



One day, while on the coast of Labrador, I accidentally almost walked 

 upon a female Canada Grous surrounded by her young brood. It was on 

 the 18th of July. The affrighted mother on seeing us, ruffled up all her 

 feathers like a common hen, and advanced close to us as if determined to 

 defend her offspring. Her distressed condition claimed our forbearance, 

 and we allowed her to remain in safety. The moment we retired, she 

 smoothed down her plumage, and uttered a tender maternal chuck, when 

 the little ones took to their wings, although they were, I can venture to 

 assert, not more than one week old, with so much ease and delight, that I 

 felt highly pleased at having allowed them to escape. 



Two days afterwards, my youthful and industrious party returned to 

 the Ripley with a pair of these Grous in moult. This species undergoes 

 that severe trial at a much earlier season than the Willow Grous. My son 

 reported that some young ones which he saw with their mother, were able 

 to fly fully a hundred yards, and alighted on the low trees, among which 

 he caught several of them, which, however, died before they reached the 

 vessel. 



This species is found not only in the State of Maine, but also in the 

 mountainous districts of New Hampshire, and the northern parts of New 

 York, as well as around our northern great lakes, and the head waters of 

 the Missouri. It is abundant in the British provinces of New Brunswick, 

 Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. 



Among the great number, procured at all seasons of the year, which 

 1 have examined, I never found one without the rufous band at the ex- 

 tremity of the tail represented in the plate ; nor did I see any having the 

 terminal white spot on the upper tail-coverts exhibited in figures of this 

 species. 



Their food consists of berries of different sorts, and the young twigs 

 and blossoms of several species of plants. In the summer and autumn I 

 have found them gorged with the berries of the plant represented in the 

 plate, and Avhich is commonly called " Solomon's Seal." In the winter 

 I have seen the crop filled with the short leaves of the larch or Hack- 

 metack. 



I have frequently heard it said that these birds could be knocked down 

 with sticks, or that a whole covey could be shot, while perched on trees 

 by beginning at the lowest one ; but I have never witnessed any thing of 

 the kind, and therefore cannot vouch for the truth of the assertion. 

 During the autumn of 1833, these birds were uncommonly abundant in 



