THE HEATH HEN,’ 
During the past two years much interest has been shown to 
save the last remnant of the eastern pinnated grouse or heath 
hen (L’ympanuchus cupido). It was formerly distributed from 
Cape Ann to Virginia, and was especially abundant in Massa- 
chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Long Island and New 
Jersey; but immense numbers of adult birds were destroyed 
by guns and traps, while the young fell victims to the colonial 
eat and to forest fires. So abundant was this bird in the dark 
ages of ornithology, when there was a bounty upon the ruffed 
grouse and when indiscriminate slaughter of all species pre- 
vailed, without thought of the bird’s economic value or place 
and function in nature, that the articles of apprentices often 
specified that they should not be compelled to eat the meat of 
this grouse (locally called “heath hen”) oftener than twice 
weekly. 
Between 1800 and 1840 the bird had been generally exter- 
minated in Massachusetts. In 1844 Giraud believed it to be 
extinct on Long Island; as late as 1869 it was still found in 
New Jersey, and to-day the very last stand of the bird is on the 
island of Martha’s Vineyard. | 
The eastern bird was first distinguished from the western 
type by William Brewster, and described by him under the name 
Cupidonia cupido (“ Auk,” January, 1885, p. 82). In 1890 
Mr. Brewster estimated that 120 to 200 birds, inhabiting about 
40 square miles, were left over from the previous winter. This 
number has slowly but surely diminished. Careful daily obser- 
vations, extending from October, 1906, to May, 1907, showed 
that the inhabited area has become restricted to about 30 square 
1 A native bird now on the verge of extinction. 
