18-1 FRANK Schley's partridge and pheIiSant shooting. 



BEATIKG OR DRUMMING OF THE PHEASANT. 



"Hearest thou that bird? 



I list'ned, and from 'midst the depths of woods 

 Heard the signal of the Grouse, 

 A sound like distant thunder; 

 Slow the strokes at first, then faster and faster, 

 'Till at length they passed into a murmur and were still." 



Bryast. 



^^& 



vyVlX sonic of our districts, tbe woods, raountains, and 



MMii h\\\» of our country resound far ;ind wide with the 



%l^ sound of the beatinif or druinniinij; of the Pheasant. 



Wf This sound is a very singular noise. It is a kind of 



rumbling sound, or a tremor in the air, very much like the 



rumbling of distant thunder. AVhen this sound vibrates 



from hill to hill, it is a difficult matter to locate the exact 



spot from whence it comes. This rumbling sound is called 



beating or drumming of the Pheasant, and on a clear, still 



day, may be heard a long distance off. This peculiar 



sound is made l)y the beating or drumming of the Cock 



Pheasant, as has been described by Mr. Audidion, in this 



way. 



•'The male bird, standing erect on a i»rostrate decayed 



Iruidv, raises the feathers of its body in the manner of the 



Turkc}^ Cock, draws its head towards its tail, erecting the 



feathei-s of the latter at the same time, and raising its ruff 



around the neck, suftei's its wings to drop, and struts about 



tm the log, a few monients elapse when the bird draws the 



whole of its feathers close to its body, and stretching itself 



out, beats its sides with its wings in the manner of the 



Domestic Cock, but more loudly, and with such rapidity 



of motion, after a few of the lirst strokes, as to cause a 



tremor in the air not unlike the rundding of distant 



thunder." 



