96 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



bury, but after 1905, it appears no more. The severe winter of 1917-18 was also 

 disastrous to this species. 



On September 8, 1918, I released eight Bob-whites at my place at Ipswich 

 sent me by the Fish and Game Commission. They were seen about the place for 

 two days only. I doubt if they survived the severe winter which followed. 



Numerous birds were reared and released at Wenham in 1915 and 1916 by 

 Dr. J. C. Phillips, — as many as seventy-five birds in one group. He has never 

 learned what became of them. He states that the southern Bob-white lays about 

 ten days earlier than our native bird. 



138 [298c] Canachites canadensis canace (Linn.). 



Canadian Spruce Grouse ; " Spruce Partridge." 

 Accidental visitor from the North. 

 The record of 1851 remains unique. 



139 [300] Bonasa umbellus umbellus (Linn.). 



Ruffed Grouse; "Partridge." 

 Common permanent resident. 

 Eggs: May 7 to June 2. 



Dr. J. C. Phillips, who has made a careful study of the relative abundance of 

 Ruffed Grouse, has written his conclusions as follows : " In the winter of 1914- 

 1915 Grouse were very plentiful indeed. I started twenty-five at Wenham in a 

 short morning's walk on February 13, 1915. The floods of July i to 10, 1915, 

 seemed to start the decline in the Grouse of Essex County. During this period — 

 nearly ten inches fell in July — I picked up nearly full-grown Pheasants, dead, 

 many times. In the fall of 1915 there were less than for the past several years 

 and fewer young birds. Still they were perhaps 75 to 90 per cent, normal. In 

 1916, Grouse fell to about 30 per cent, normal and Pheasants to 10 per cent, 

 normal. In 1917, I was away, but from all reports and from what I saw in one 

 day's hunting, they were down to 20 or 25 per cent. In 1918, from all accounts, 

 they were not over 15 or 20 per cent. 



"Thus far in 1919 there is without doubt a very marked increase, which I 

 should estimate might be up to 50 or 60 per cent, normal." 



The tracks of Ruffed Grouse in the snow are somewhat smaller than those of 

 the Pheasant, the marks are thicker and the three toes are more nearly at right 

 angles to each other. 



