News About the Heath Hen. 
At the congress of the American Ornitholo¬ 
gists, held from Dec. 6 to 9 in New York, an 
interesting paper on the heath hen was pre¬ 
sented by Dr. George W. Field. In Dr. Field’s 
absence from the meeting the paper was read 
by E. H. Forbush, the State Ornithologist of 
Massachusetts, and was listened 
to with much attention and in¬ 
terest. 
Dr. Field said that this species, 
which was on the verge of ex¬ 
tinction, now bids fair to be pre¬ 
served. It formerly ranged in 
Massachusetts as far north as 
Cape Ann and west to the Berk- 
shires, and south as far as Vir¬ 
ginia. It was abundant in the 
southern tier of New England 
States, on Long Island and in 
New Jersey. Its last remnant 
persists on Martha’s Vineyard. 
In 1899 William Brewster esti¬ 
mated that there remained on 
Martha’s Vineyard from 120 to 
200 birds, but in 1907 observa¬ 
tions at places where the birds 
met to feed and to mate showed 
only twenty-one birds. Action 
by the Massachusetts Legislature 
aided by co-operation of the 
towns of Tisbury and West Tis- 
bury, certain game and sports¬ 
men’s protective associations and 
about twenty-five private indi¬ 
viduals resulted in the establish¬ 
ment of a State reservation of 
nearly 2,200 acres. Additional 
land should be secured and con¬ 
tributions for this purpose will 
be welcomed. 
For three years past now, effi¬ 
cient protection has been given to 
the birds. In May, 1907, only 
twenty-one were counted, fifty- 
five in January, 1908, and about 150 in January, 
1909. It is expected that in January, 1910, 250 or 
possibly 300 birds will be seen. In May, 1906, the 
greater part of the breeding grounds was burned 
over and few birds were reared. The breeding 
season of 1907 was favorable; 1908, cold and 
wet, but 1909 was again favorable. The ex¬ 
tensive forest fire of 1909 was checked before 
reaching the reservation and not many birds 
were destroyed by it. In March, 1909, Dr. 
Field was able to continue the observations 
given in his report upon the heath hen printed 
in 1907. He counted on the mating and danc¬ 
ing ground more than fifty birds, compared 
with seven at the same place in 1906. Of these 
fifty only ten could be recognized as females, 
but there may have been others hidden near 
at hand. 
After having located the birds one evening, 
Dr. Field the next day endeavored to use an 
umbrella blind, but was detected by the birds 
and was obliged to give it up. In the middle 
of the day hiding in a blind of cornstalks, he 
awaited the arrival of the birds expected to 
come in at evening. The first lot of eight came 
in from the south about 4 p. m. Within the 
next half hour, bunches of from four to sixteen 
birds came in, and forty-eight were certainly 
counted and possibly more than fifty-two birds. 
When they first alighted the grouse crouched 
and remained motionless for five minutes. 
Then they distributed themselves over the field, 
feeding, but if a hawk was seen, they at once 
squatted and became invisible. After they had 
fed for a time, the dance began, and then the 
sound of the tooting was almost continuous. 
The birds were alert and suspicious, squatting 
or running, or if much alarmed, flying. Never¬ 
theless a number of birds came within range of 
the camera and some fairly clear negatives 
were secured. The general actions of the birds 
are well shown in the illustration of the Amer¬ 
ican Museum group, printed in Forest and 
Stream some months ago. In March there is 
little or no fighting, whereas in May fighting 
is much more spirited. Yet this fighting rarely 
comes to an actual physical collision. 
The mating antics which Dr. Field so fully 
describes, and which were printed in Forest 
and Stream from his report of 1907, a year or 
two since, extend from the first warm days in 
February to 'the early part of June and reach 
their height the last of April and early in May. 
Nevertheless the bird is a late breeder, eggs 
having been recorded for June 4, June 10 and 
July 24, while newly hatched young are reported 
on June 20 and 29, and July 2 and 7. 
In autumn the birds pack, and in stormy 
weather they retire to the pro¬ 
tection of cover. 
The birds have possibly in¬ 
creased ten-fold during the past 
four breeding seasons. The 
greatest dangers to which they 
are subject are forest fires, cats 
which have run wild, and hun¬ 
ters, who while gunning for rab¬ 
bits or for ducks, sometimes kill 
heath hens. The dangers from 
these enemies seem to have been 
removed. There remain the perils 
of the native hawk and the possi¬ 
bility of infection from domestic 
hens by the disease known as 
coccidiosis, which has proved the 
bane of domestic turkeys, and of 
the breeders of wild game who 
have used hens for mothers, or 
have housed grouse or quail 
chicks on infected ground. The 
problem of the protection of this 
species is one which may well 
engage the attention of all orni¬ 
thologists. 
While Robins. 
Tomah, Wis., Dec. 12. — Editor 
Forest and Stream: In your is¬ 
sue of Dec. 4 I was much in¬ 
terested in a letter signed Will 
W. Christman. A white robin 
has spent two summers in our 
city, nesting in a neighboring 
yard, and being a source of in¬ 
terest and curiosity to everyone, 
and I would be glad to learn of its appearance 
in other places. 
The description of Mr. Christman’s bird 
exactly fitted ours, even to the two dark tail 
feathers. He is a genuine robin, with all the 
characteristics and song. He is very tame and 
sociable with people and quarrelsome with birds. 
After observing him for two seasons I have 
found his mate to be a black-crowned and bright¬ 
breasted robin. Has anyone else seen this bird? 
Mrs. W. R. McCaul. 
[Robins wholly or in part white are not very 
uncommon. Mr. Christman’s is a New York 
State bird, and no doubt there are other birds 
similar in color scattered over the country.— 
Editor.] 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer to 
supply you regularly. 
GREAT HORNED OWLS, THREE WEEKS OLD. 
Photograph from life by T. H. Jackson. 
