l68 SEMI-ARCTIC BIRDS. 
did not forsake them as they descended to the 
lower regions of trees and shrubs. 
They were climbing a hill too steep to be 
ridden up, preparatory to descending one too 
steep to be ridden down, when Mrs. Maxwell, 
who was walking some distance from the others, 
came suddenly upon a female grouse with a 
brood of little ones. Instantly there was a note 
of alarm given by the old bird, and the chicks 
disappeared as if by magic, while the mother, 
feigning lameness, fluttered away. She was soon 
secured ; then came the task of finding the little 
ones. Seating herself where they disappeared, 
Mrs. Maxwell was perfectly still, for what seemed 
to her a very long time, although it was probably 
not more than ten minutes before any unusual 
sound met her ear. Then she was delighted by 
tiny shrill peeps, evidently coming from eight or 
ten places around her. With ears practised by 
recent cony-hunting, she noted one spot and 
made a minute search among plants, sticks, fallen 
leaves, and underbrush, and was rewarded by the 
capture of a little downy grouse. This waiting 
and searching was repeated until nine were cap- 
tured. Then a longer pause than any before 
made convinced her there were no more. 
They, with the mother-bird, form the group 
referred to by H. H. in the first part of this vol- 
ume, and are indeed very interesting. Saturday 
