upon him after a flight of considerable length, having been attracted by the cackling of the happy couple. The female invariably squats next to and almost under the breast of her lord, while he, always ready for action, throws himself on his daring antagonist, and chases him away never to return." In tracts of land in the western country, the Pinnated Grouse may be heard booming and tooting before break of day, and at all hours afterwards until sunset; but in those districts where they have been frequently annoyed by that intruder, man, their meetings are more noiseless, their battles shorter and less frequent, and their fighting-grounds more concealed. Many of the young males fight in the autumn, the females generally joining them to make peace. The nest is made earlier or later, according to the latitude of the place, between the beginning of April and the end of May. Audubon found a nest in Kentucky finished and containing a few eggs at the first-mentioned date; but he thinks, taking the difference of seasons into consideration, that the average time is about the beginning of May. The nest, which is formed of dry leaves and grass, neatly interwoven, is carefully placed amid the tall grass, or a large tuft in the open ground, or at the foot of a bush. The eggs are from eight to twelve in number, and are of a light colour. The mother sits upon the nest eighteen or nineteen days, and as soon as the young have freed themselves, leads them away from the nest, when the male ceases to associate with her. In autumn the families congregate together in flocks, which at the approach of winter consist of several hundreds. When alarmed, the young squat so closely in the grass as to be quite hidden. "Once," says Audubon, "my horse almost placed his foot on a covey that was in the path. I observed them, and instantly leaped to the ground; but, notwithstanding all my endeavours, the cunning mother saved them by a single cluck. The little fellows rose on the wing for only a few yards. I spent much time in search of them; I could not discover one. I was greatly amused, however, by the arts the mother employed to induce me to leave the spot where they lay concealed." These birds never have more than one brood during the year; but should the eggs have been destroyed, a second set is laid, generally fewer in number than the first. About the 1st of August the young are nearly as large as the little American Partridge, and are then fit for the table; but they do not become strong in the wing till the middle of October.