574 THE SOOTY GROUSE. 
\s the hooter becomes vehement he struts like a turkey-cock, spreading 
the tail in fan-shape, dropping the wings till they scrape the ground, and inflat- 
ing his throat to such an extent as to disclose a considerable space of bare 
orange-colored skin on either side of the neck. This last certainly makes a 
stunning feature of the gallant’s attire, for Nature has contrived that the 
feathers immediately surrounding the bald area 
should have white bases beneath their sooty tips. 
During excitement, 
then, as the conceal 
ing feathers are 
raised and reversed, 
a brilliant white cir- 
clet, some five inches 
in diameter, sudden 
ly flares forth on 
each side of the 
neck, to the great 
admiration, no 
doubt, of the observ- 
ant hen. 
These more em 
phatic demonstra 
tions are probably 
reserved for such 
time as the hen is 
known to be close at 
hand, for I have 
never frightened a 
strutting cock with 
out finding a female 
hard by, at least at 
no greater distance 
than the lower 
branches of a neigh- 
\ NEST IN THE PINE WOODS 
boring tree. She has 
responded to the earlier calls of the male by a single musical toot note, uttered 
at intervals of approach; but once arrived at the trysting place she has become 
ery shy, and will take no part in the celebration, save by a few tell-tale clucks 
and many coy evasions. On these occasions, also, the cock works himself up 
into such a transport that he becomes oblivious to danger, so that he may 
be narrowly observed or even captured by a sudden rush 
The Wood Grouse are probably polygamous, but contests between the 
