Biography 33 



The drumming characteristic has been used in bygone days by 

 hunters to lure tlie birds to their destruction. By beating on drums 

 made of an inflated bladder, market hmiters were able to shoot or 

 net them. In more recent times numerous observers have noted that 

 grouse are attracted by the sound of wood chopping. 



Accel, et cres. 



presto 



dim. 



— -^ dodo 



Boom - Boom Boom Boom Boo Boo Bur -r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r/ " 



Some male grouse apparently do not drum at all, nor do these 

 birds establish drumming logs. Possibly there are one of two reasons 

 for this apparently abnormal behavior. Most likely is the condition, 

 demonstrated in captive birds, of having the need for drumming 

 short-circuited by the ready presence of one or more female birds. 

 The second condition might be an abnormal physiological deficiency. 

 Many males use more than one log, but in these cases there is usually 

 •one primary log, and one or more secondary logs which are used 

 more or less irregularly. Some birds use the same log year after year. 

 On an average, there are about one and one-half active drumming 

 logs per male grouse. 



Location of Drumming Log. As has already been noted, the log se- 

 lected for drumming must have certain characteristics of size and 

 condition. The log is selected to a considerable extent on the basis 

 of its location and smroundings. It is almost invariably inside the 

 woods, not in the open nor on the very edge. It is also almost always 

 very near to an edge of some type of opening, usually within two 

 hundred feet. Very rarely is a log used that is deep in a woodland, 

 far from a clearing. Preference seems to be for a young, second 

 growth woodland, predominantly hardwood but with a fair scatter- 

 ing of conifers, especially young conifers. Mature woodlands, solid 

 coniferous stands, open slashings, and brushland seem to be avoided. 

 The immediate location preferred is one well exposed to the sun 

 on one side, preferably the side with a warm, morning sun. At the 

 same time, one end on one side at least should have good escape 

 shelter immediately at hand. This shelter is usually a clump of low 

 hanging conifers, most often hemlock in the transition zone, spruce 

 or balsam in the Canadian zone. 



