THE HEATH HEX OF MARTHAS VlSEYAllD 



281 



COUrtrSU Ma.S.SlU J, U-\. i :.^ '■ ,:,,: ,1. I.s.M,',,, , 



un Fisheries and Game 

 The heath heu (Tiimiianuchtis cupido) is very similar to the prairie 

 chicken {Tiiiupanurhus americanus) but smaller and darker in color. 

 The neck tufts are composed of acutely lance-pointed feathers 



habits of this bird arc those of the 

 mating season. These are not unique, 

 as other American grouse give more or 

 less similar manifestations of the mat- 

 ing instinct, but they are worth going 

 far to see. My opportunities for watch- 

 ing their mating antics have been 

 all that could be desired. Some 

 of my observations have been 

 made from a blind raised about 

 two feet above the surface of the 

 ground so that the birds could 

 pass not only all about but under- 

 neath, and they not infrequently 

 alighted on top of the blind, thus 

 affording chances to view tlicni 

 from all directions. 



The male birds begin to "toot"' 

 and strut about four o'clock, or 

 even earlier on bright mornings. 

 Many gather on certain open fields 

 or cleared spots that have served 

 as their assembling places I'oi' 

 many years, and there the dance 

 goes on apace until about seven 

 o'clock, when it begins to subside 

 and the birds scatter. The "toot- 



ing" however may 

 hi' iicard at inter- 

 vals (luring the day. 

 Again towai'd snn- 

 (Idwii t lici'c is anotlier 

 gathering that lasts 

 until the dusk of 

 I'xcning. My obser- 

 vations, therefore, 

 have lieen made early 

 in till' morning, or 

 towai'd sunset, and 

 were ])Ossible only 

 tlirough tlie conrtesy 



of the ^Fassachusetts 



jirA^ C'Oinmissioners on 



'^ Fisheries and Game 



and their superinten- 

 dent on the reserva- 

 tion, Mr. William 

 Day. 



In .\pril, 19i:. I 

 went to the reserve 

 in company with "Sir. 

 A. C. Bent. On April 25, at three in the 

 afternoon, I entered a "blind"' in a corn- 

 field where the birds were accustomed to 

 dance and where corn had been thrown 

 out to attract them. The standing corn 

 had been cut and removed, providing an 



While tlie male is dancing the phimnge is flulTed, the 

 tail erect, and the droojiing wings almost touch tlic ground 



