150 TETRAONID.E : GROUSE. 



be found by the middle of June. When surprised with 

 her brood, the parent bird is very courageous in their 

 defence, even attacking the intruder who threatens the 

 peace. The nest is made of twigs, leaves, grasses, and 

 moss, and much art is often displayed to conceal it. 

 The eggs, to the number of a dozen or more, are less 

 elongate than those of some Grouse, broader at the butt, 

 and more pointed at the other end ; thus approaching 

 the shape characteristic of Partridge eggs, and being 

 like those of Ptarmigan in size and form. The follow- 

 ing measurements of selected examples from a large 

 series show the size, shape and range of variation : 1.70 

 by 1.25; 1.70 by 1.20; 1.65 by 1.25; 1.65 by 1.15. 

 High in the oviduct the egg is creamy-white. This 

 color is washed over to a varying degree of intensity 

 with rich chestnut-brown — generally a pale " creamy " 

 brown — and is further dotted, spotted, sometimes even 

 splashed and blotched, with a very dark, heavy shade of 

 the same color, the markings being numerous, strong and 

 bold, of no determinate shape, and very irregularly dis- 

 tributed. These markings are only an intensification, 

 in spots, of the ground color, but are very heavy, and 

 show a decided approach to the peculiarly dark and 

 heavy pattern of Ptarmigan eggs. 



RUFFED GROUSE, OR PARTRIDGE. 



BONASA UMBELLA (Z.) Stepk. 



Chars. Tarsi incompletely feathered. Head crested. Tail large 

 and fan-sliaped, usually of 18 broad obtuse feathers. A con- 

 spicuous ruffle of lengthened feathers on each side of the neck. 

 Tail gray or brown, with broad subterminal black zone, and 



