190 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
the passion of the display increases, the bird performs 
the most astonishing antics, such as leaping in the air 
without effort of wings, rolling over and over, acting 
withal as if beside himself with ardor. The males 
engage in most desperate battles; the engagement lasts 
for hours, or until one is utterly exhausted, the feath- 
ers of head, neck and breast strewing the ground. 
A maneuver is for the pursuing bird to lead the other 
off a great distance and suddenly fly back to the female, 
who sits or feeds as unconcerned as it is possible for a 
bird to do. She acts thoroughly the most heartless 
coquette, while he is a most passionately devoted lover. 
He will die rather than forsake her side, and often 
places himself between the hunter and her, uttering 
notes of warning for her to escape, while attention 
is drawn to him, who is the more conspicuous. 
“When the young are with the parents they rely 
upon their color to hide themselves among the nearly 
similar vegetation from which they procure their food. 
I am certain I have walked directly over young birds 
which were well able to fly. If the parent birds are 
first shot, the entire number of young may be secured, 
as they will not fly until nearly trodden upon, and then 
only for a few yards, while they may easily be seen. 
I have found on two occasions an adult female with a 
brood of thirteen young. All of the flocks were se- 
cured without trouble. At other times only three or 
four young would be found with both parents. The 
young are very tender when first hatched; no amount 
of most careful attention will induce them to eat, and 
