58 OUT WITH THE BIRDS 



tuft of grass beside a particularly bald spot — 

 due to the sod being worn down — and then I 

 crawled into my little grass and willow blind to 

 await results. This interruption, in the eyes of 

 the grouse, was a sad waste of time, and they 

 were soon back. They were getting rather ac- 

 customed to me now also, as already I had been 

 an uninvited guest more than a dozen times, and 

 each time disturbed them in the same manner. 

 So one or two of the boldest soon fluttered down 

 upon the knoll and immediately began to edge 

 up longingly toward the blind, to be followed in 

 a few moments by the remainder of the club- 

 members. It seemed strange that even in spite 

 of misgivings — it was impossible to conceal the 

 kodak entirely — they had to return to the exact 

 spot to resume the dance. Any other place in 

 the forty acres seemed to me as fitting an assem- 

 bly hall, but it was evident that in the eyes of the 

 sharp-tails, there was but one spot would answer. 

 It is not often that the opportunity to get 

 among these birds and see them at the closest 

 quarters is given to a bird-student. Yet here 

 they surrounded me; a pair of them " cut their 

 capers " in front of my nose, where I could have 

 touched them with a long straw, and one fellow 



