PINNATED GROUSE 221 
broods were successfully reared, and it was believed 
that the number had more than doubled. 
The first protective law relating to the heath hen is 
said to have been passed in 1831. This provided for a 
closed season from March 1 to September 1. In 1837 
there was established a closed season of four years, 
which in the same year was extended for five years 
more. These Acts, however, permitted any town to 
suspend the law, so far as that town was concerned, 
for such a period as might be deemed expedient, and 
in 1842 the town of Tisbury did suspend the law for 
a period of ten days on more than one occasion. In 
fact, the law in behalf of these birds fell into desuetude 
and no effort was made to enforce it up to about 1905. 
The inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard felt a local pride 
in having there a bird found nowhere else in the world, 
but this local pride was not strong enough to protect 
the species. 
An observer who visited the island in the spring of 
1906 made to the commissioners on fisheries and game 
of Massachusetts a report which gives much in- 
teresting detail as to the habits of the heath hen at the 
particular time when they are preparing to mate, and 
is well worth quoting in full. He says: 
“At 6 P.M. we arrived at the point where we hoped 
to find traces of the heath hen. Ina cleared field, about 
thirty rods from the road, we distinctly saw two large 
birds. On our nearer approach they squatted close 
and their protective coloration was so effective that 
although we knew almost exactly the precise location 
