574 



Till'; SUU'i'V GROUSE. 



c)r-anL;e-cnl()re(l 

 stunning feature 



As the 111 II iter lieci>nies \elienient he struts like a turkey-cock, spreading 

 the tail in fan-slia])e, ilmpping the wings till they scrape the ground, and inflat- 

 ing his throat tn such an extent as to disclose a considerable space of hare 

 kin on either side of the neck. Tliis last certainly makes a 

 >f the gall.-int's attire, for Nature has contrived that the 

 "eathers immediately surrounding the bald area 

 sliould ha\'e white bases lieneath their sooty tips. 



During excitement, 

 then, as the conceal- 

 ing feathers are 

 raised and re\ersed, 

 a brilliant while cir- 

 clet, some f;\e inches 

 in diameter, sudden- 

 1\' flares forth on 

 each side of the 

 neck, to ihe great 

 a d m i r a 1 i o n, no 

 doubt, of the obser\'- 

 .ant hen. 



These more eni- 

 jiliatic demonstra- 

 tions are probably 

 reserved for such 

 lime as the hen is 

 ]<nown to be close at 

 liand. for I have 

 never frightened a 

 strutting cock with- 

 out finding a female 

 hard hv. at least at 

 no greater distance 

 than the 1 o w e r 

 branches of a neigh- 







'm-m^Mmm 



\ M'ST IN TUI'" 



Taken tu-nr Stoba}!*:. 

 Photo by F. S. Men 



riM-; woons. 



boring tree. 



She has 



res]ioiide(l to the earlier calls of the male by a single musical toot note, uttered 

 at intervals of a])])roach: but once arrived at the trysting place she has become 

 verv shv, and will take no part in the celebration, save by a few tell-tale clucks 

 and many coy evasions. On these occasions, also, the cock works himself up 

 into such a transport that he becomes oblivious to danger, so that he may 

 be narrowl}' oliservecl or even captured by a sudden rush. 



The Wood Grouse are probably polygamous, but contests between the 



