THE CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE. 
“Hearest thou that bird? 
I listened, and from ‘midst the depth of woods 
Heard the love signal of the Grouse that wears 
A sable ruff around his mottled neck: 
Partridge they call him by our northern streams 
And Pheasant by the Delaware. He beats 
‘Gainst his barred sides his speckled wings, and makes 
A sound like distant thun- 
der; slow the strokes 
At first, then fast and faster, 
till at length 
They pass into a murmur. 
and are still.” 
The main purpose of this 
extraordinary music is well 
known; it is to attract the 
female and guide her to the 
tryst. It is not, however, 
certainly known whether the 
bird is monogamous.  Ben- 
dire thinks he is. On the 
other hand, an observer once 
saw seven hen birds grouped 
about a strutting male. “And 
seven women shall take hold 
of one man in that day, say- 
ing, We will eat our own 
bread and wear our own ap- 
parel; only let us be called 
by thy name; take thou away 
our reproach.” 
Various theories have been 
advanced as to the real 
method of sound production 
in drumming. The rever- 
berating sounds were long 
supposed to be due to the 
impact of the wings upon the 
breast. A very creditable 
imitation may be produced 
by a sound-winded man who Taken in eastern Oregon. Photo by 
1 W. Anthony 
pounds upon his lungs with NEST AND EGGS OF CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE. 
