664 GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 



comes remarkable. Early in the morning he comes forth 

 from his bushy roost, and struts about with a curving 

 neck, raising his ruff, expanding his tail like a fan, 

 and seeming to mimic the ostentation of the Turkey. He 

 now seeks out or meets his rival, and several pairs at a 

 time, as soon as they become visible through the dusky 

 dawn, are seen preparing for combat. Previously to this 

 rencontre, the male, swelling out his throat, utters what 

 is called a tooting, a ventriloqual, humming call on the 

 female, three times repeated, somewhat similar to the 

 humming jar of the Night Hawk ; and, though uttered in 

 so low a key, it may yet be heard 3 or 4 miles in a still 

 morninor. While eno-aored in fiorhtinor with each other, 

 the males are heard to utter a rapid, petulant cackle, 

 something in sound like excessive laughter. The tooting 

 is heard from before day-break till 8 or 9 o'clock in the 

 morning. As they frequently assemble at these scratching- 

 places^ as they are called, ambuscades of bushes are form- 

 ed round them, and many are shot from these coverts. 



The female carefully conceals her nest in some grassy 

 tussuck on the ground, and is but seldom discovered. 

 The eggs are from 10 to 12; and of a plain brownish 

 color. The young are protected and attended by the fe- 

 male only, who broods them under her wings in the man- 

 ner of the common fowl, and leads them to places suitable 

 for their food, sometimes venturing with her tender 

 charge to glean along the public paths. When thus sur- 

 prised, the young dart into the neighbouring bushes, and 

 there skulk for safety, while the wily parent beguiles the 

 spectator with her artful pretences of lameness. The 

 affectionate parent and her brood thus keep together 

 throughout the whole season. By the aid of a dog they 

 are easily hunted out, and are readily set, as they are 

 not usually inclined to take wing. In the prairies, how- 



