114 The Grouse Family 



The sound is peculiar, difficult to describe and 

 as difficult to locate, for it unquestionably has 

 great ventriloquial power. Sometimes it is strongly 

 suggestive of low, distant thunder, especially when 

 the opening beats have not been caught. Again 

 it is like the deep, muffled roll of a drum, or the 

 sound of a distant carriage rapidly driven over 

 a short wooden bridge. The writer has more 

 than once been fooled by the sound of wheels 

 coming through the woods. At the conclusion 

 of the effort the bird straightens to his full height 

 and appears to listen for a reply. Should there 

 be no response, he may repeat his performance an 

 indefinite number of times. 



Some scientists have declared that all the bird's 

 peering about is merely a sharp lookout for the 

 expected female. I will go farther and say that 

 it is of threefold purport — i.e. to locate the fe- 

 male, an approaching rival, or a skulking peril. 

 While in the act of drumming, the bird appears 

 to be oblivious to everything but its own passion. 

 This is why it can be stalked. The instant the 

 drumming ceases the bird seems to realize that it 

 has been taking chances, so it carefully scrutinizes 

 every yard of its surroundings. Let the stalker 

 then make the slightest move and there will be 

 no more drumming for some time. A grouse 

 flushed directly from the drumming-place is apt 

 to forsake it altogether. My theory is that the 



