144 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
In the Rocky Mountains, in September, a few years 
ago, I saw a grouse cross the trail along which I was 
walking and disappear in the bushes to the left. The 
clump of bushes was a small one, not more than twenty 
yards across. I watched the bird while it was walking 
perhaps ten yards, and then went on, but had hardly 
come to where the bird had crossed the path when I 
heard it drum. The sound was not loud and gave the 
impression of being quite distant. I stood still for a 
moment, trying to see the bird, but without success, 
and after a little while the drumming began again, still 
sounding as distant as before. I then very quietly made 
my way into the bushes, advancing six or eight yards 
toward the point where I had last seen the grouse, but 
the drumming was not resumed, and after a few mo- 
ments I withdrew, but had hardly reached the trail 
when I again heard the sound. A second excursion 
into the bushes was no more successful than the first 
had been, but somewhat later, on my return, hearing 
the drumming, I again went into the bushes, and just 
beyond where I had seen the grouse disappear I saw 
it walk away among the brush. This is mentioned only 
to indicate how very faint the sound of the drumming 
may be, although it is quite close at hand. 
Few subjects have been more discussed by American 
naturalists and sportsmen than this same drumming, 
a sound so familiar to outdoor men as hardly to need 
description. It is commonly thought to be a mating 
call, though by no means sounded only at the pairing 
season in spring; for the roll of the drumming, sound- 
