2(1 



T II i: PAIRING-GROUND. 



be) is the first in tlie spring at the "lek-stiille," and in the 

 more northern forests, even when the snow is deep on the 

 ground, he commences his spel either on the surface of 

 the snow — on whicli one often sees the marks of his 

 trailing wings where he has paraded to and fro — or 

 perched on the upper branch of a pine. 



:M 



i ^iijasiWt' 



At such times his neck is stretched out, his wings 

 droop, his feathers are ruffled up, and liis tail spread out 

 in the manner of a fan, as depicted in the illustration 

 sketched by M. Wilhelm von Wright.* 



* Like M. EkstroQi, a first-class naturalist and sportsman, and, as 

 regards subjects of natural liistory, undoubtedly the best draughtsman at 

 present existing in Sweden, altli(iu,'h since some years, it grieves me to 

 say, on a bed of sickness. 



