UlSv - \* -\ 
D. C. Heath & Co. 
(Incorporated) 
D. C. HE A TH, Pres. 
C. H. AMES, Sec. 
W. E. PULSIFER, Treas. 
W. S. SMYTH , Vice-Pres. 
Publishers of Text-Books for Schools and Colleges 
BOSTON 
NEW YORK 
CHICAGO 
LONDON 
iio Boylston Street 
February 24, 1900. 
Boston 
Mr. william Brewster, 
14'5‘ Brat tie Street, 
Cambridge, Mass. 
My dear Sir:— 
I have for a long time had particular interest in the survival 
of thePinnated Grouse on Martha’s Vineyard, hating a distinct impression 
that the bird was once found on Nantucket, Long island and the southern 
shores of Connecticut, as well as ip the pine barrens of pew Jersey. 
I have from time to time heard in vague ways of the attempt not only to 
preserve the native grouse of Martha’s Vineyard' 1 by stringent game laws 
hut of the attempt to increase the stock by liberation on the island 
of birds brought from the west. 
It is in regard to this latter point that I beg to ask any 
information yon may have. Can you tell me positively whether or not 
any such liberation of western birds upon liartha’ s Vineyard was ever 
made, and if so at what times and by whom? I have the impression that 
the original bird in Martha’s Vineyards was of a distinctly ruddier 
color than the grayish western bird. I think T have, seen one skin said 
to have been one of the original stock, and which was certainly ruddier 
than the western bird with which I used to be very familiar. Sometime 
ago i saw a bird, undoubtedly from Martha’s Vineyard, and I saw it un- 
skinnecl and only a day or two or so after it was killed. This bird 
certainly was: indistinguishable to my eye from the western bird, so far 
as color is concerned. I therefore fear:-the mixture of which I have 
heard is a fact but shall await- with great interest anything you- may 
