ing — a ventriloqiiial humming call to 

 the female three times repeated, and 

 though uttered in so low a key, it may 

 yet be heard three or four miles on a 

 still morning. About the close of 

 March on the plains of Missouri we 

 heard this species of Grouse tooting or 

 humming in all directions, so that at 

 a distance the sound might be taken 

 almost for the grunting of the Bison 

 or the loud croak of the Bull-frog. 

 While uttering his vehement call the 

 male expands his neck pouches to such 

 a magnitude as almost to conceal his 

 head, and blowing, utters a low drum- 

 ming bellow like the sound of k-toin- 

 boo! k-tom-boo! once or twice repeated, 

 after which is heard a sort of guttural 

 squeaking crow or koak, koak, koak. In 

 the intervals of feeding we sometimes 

 hear the male also cackling, or, as it 

 were, crowing like ko, ko, koop^ koop ! 

 While engaged in fighting with each 

 other, the males are heard to utter a 



rapid, petulant cackle, something in 

 sound like excessive laughter. The 

 tooting is heard from day-break till 

 eight or nine o'clock in the morning. 

 As they frequently assemble at these 

 scratching places^ as they are called, 

 ambuscades of bushes are formed 

 around them, and many are shot from 

 these covers." 



The nest is placed on the ground 

 in the thick prairie grass, and at the 

 foot of bushes on the barren ground; a 

 hollow is scratched in the soil, and 

 sparingly lined with grass and feathers. 

 The nest is so well concealed that it 

 is not often discovered. The eggs are 

 from ten to twelve, and of a plain 

 brownish color. The female alone 

 protects and attends the young, brood- 

 ing them under her wings in 

 the manner of the domestic fowl. 

 The affectionate parent and her 

 brood keep together throughout the 

 season. 



20 



