GROUSIC, BOB—\VIII'I‘ES, ETC. 131

barred with blackish or dark grayish browiL the bars indistinct on the breast and belly, stronger on the sides. .-l:/. arr—Similar. but with the neck tufts very small. I... lT'HU: \V.. T‘ ; l’:.t'1‘otti N.,

Henge!liastern United States. trom Vermont to \ trainia, and along the

Alleghauies to northern Georgia. Washington, not common 1’. R. Sing Sing, eonnnon I'. It. Cambridge,

eonnnon l’. It. Next. on the ground, at the base of a stump or tree, or beneath brush.

Eg/ys. eight to fourteen, pale oehraeeous-butl‘, 1231 x 1'13.

Of all the characteristics of this superb game bird, its habit of drumming,r is perhaps the most remarkable. This loud tattoo begins with the measured thump of the big drum. then gradually changes and dies away in the rumble of the kettle—drum. It may be briefly rep- resented thus: Thump Hut/up Hurlnp—l/nunp. thump; thump, thump—rap rap 7-1/1) rill) r-r-r—/'—r-/‘—r—r-r. The sound is produced by the male bird beating the air with his wings as he stands firmly braced on some favorite low perch; and it is now quite well known to be the *all of the male to the female; an announcement that he is at the old rendezvous—a rendezvous that has perhaps served them for more than one season. and a place that in time becomes so fraught with delight- ful associations that even in autumn or winter the male, when he finds himself in the vicinity, eau not re'ist the temptation to mount his wonted perch and vent his feelings in the rollingr drum-beat that was in springtime, his song of love. But now, alas! there is no lady Grouse to come, shy but responsive, at the sound of his reverbe‘atiug sum-

nions.

There is good reason for supposing: that the ltuffed Grouse is po- lygainous, and that the tnale, if he drums in vain at one place, will fly to another retreat and there seek the society of some more compli- ant female.

The young,r Grouse can run about as soon as they are hatched, and can fly well when about a week old. Their mother is celebrated for the variety of expedients she puts in practice to save her brood from threat- ened danger. and their father has frequently been known to divide the charge with her. The young usually continue with their parents till the following spring, though it is ‘are at this time to see more than three or four surviving out of the original twelve or fourteen.

The food of this Grouse is largely insects and berries during the summer; in the autumn it adds seeds to the list. and when the ground is covered with snow the staples are eatkins. leaves. and buds.

Its toes are provided during the winter with a curious fringe of strong, horny points which act as snowshoes. In the northern part of its range this bird commonly burrows into a snowdrift to pass the night during the season of intense cold; but in the summer and in