
366 THE RUFFED GROUSE. 


















female commences laying she lays every day, until towards 
the last end of the litter, when she lays every other day, 
until she has laid ten, twelve, and sometimes fifteen eggs 
These she places around the nest in circles, that each may 
receive an equal degree of warmth while she is sitting upo 
them. When she Tikva them, she sometimes covas 
with grass or leaves, but not always. 
The inside of the nest measures tive and a half snheailt 
depth two and a half inches. The color of the eggs is yee 
lowish-white, marked with reddish-brown spots. 
the last ones of the litter are without spots, and of a lighter 
color, a few larger round spots appear to be laid on the sut 
face of the shell and raised above it. Sometimes a nest of 
the Ruffed Grouse is found to contain a litter of pure while 
eggs. This difference in the color of the eggs may arise in 
consequence of the first nest of the bird being “destroyed. b 
connection with this I will mention an instance of a blue-bird 
that was robbed of her eggs in succession, until she p 
pure white ones. Her e st litter was taken in April, where 
upon she immediately laid another litter of a lighter eoit 
than the first. These being taken, she laid another lites 
four eggs, of a still lighter color than the second. 
litter was also alias from her, when she laid one more 
of three eggs, entirely white. The Marsh-hawk lays from 
six to eight eggs for the first litter, which are all dix 
tinctly marked, iit the exception of one or two that 
laid last. If this first litter is destroyed and she ma 
soon, the eggs will hardly have a perceptible spot upon them 
For this reason no birds’ eggs should be described, ot P 
served as typical specimens, casement those laid first a 
season. x 
When the female Grouse begins to sit, the ma 
her and rambles about alone, or in company W! 
males, until autumn. Then he: returns, and the 
together till the following spring, when they 
pairs to breed. 
m os 
ith other 
s keep 
