ON THE STAMPING-GROUND 57 



nated and the drumming of the ruffed grouse, 

 and also to the strutting of a turkey, has always 

 been a matter of wonderment to the out-of-doors 

 people on the plains. The earliest explorers mar- 

 veled at it as they slipped up to empty a mur- 

 derous muzzle-loader at the preoccupied birds; 

 they called it dancing then, and the apt term has 

 stuck. Early in March these grouse repair to 

 some selected knoll, and on sunny mornings give 

 a hint of the performance to follow later. By 

 the first of April usually the knoll is bare and 

 the dance going in full swing. At that time these 

 revels often occupy a goodly part of the day; 

 and from this date till late in June, but depend- 

 ing somewhat on the season, the birds never are 

 far from their club-roost or dance-hall. 



At noonday they may be found sleeping in the 

 grass or willow-clumps nearby, and during the 

 morning and evening hours are unfailingly on 

 their stamping-ground. What that long daily 

 " hoe-down " means to the birds I am unable to 

 state. At one time I thought that I knew. That 

 was before I had learned to get right among the 

 revelers ; now after many hours spent with them, 

 I am much wiser but still mystified. 



Soon I had the kodak focused upon the little 



