334 Ttjttle, Drumming of the Ruffed Grouse. [juJ y 



some time in coming to the log. He arrived on the scene at four- 

 forty, flying clown from a tree near the blind. At five-twenty-five 

 I took my first picture, showing a watchful pose. He became 

 alarmed, watched the camera for some time, and finally left the 

 log at five-thirty-five. 



May 21. Three o'clock found me in my blind, and at three-ten 

 it began to rain. Rain fell for an hour, dwindled to an occasional 

 drop, but began again at four-forty when the Grouse appeared. 

 He drummed throughout a hard rain at longer intervals than usual. 

 He left the blind at five-thirty, passing within two feet of my eye 

 at the peep hole. I left the blind at six and picked up my cameras. 

 The Oven-Birds sang their flight song before dawn. 



It is easier to venture an opinion as to how the drumming sound 

 is not produced than it is to make an affirmative answer to a ques- 

 tion as to its source, and there has been so much discussion that I 

 hesitate to make any unqualified statement at all. My observa- 

 tions, however, and what photographs I have been able to obtain, 

 only confirm the testimony of Professor C. F. Hodge, who had the 

 advantage of studying tame Grouse, and whose photographs of 

 the drumming of these birds cover a series of poses taken from the 

 front, the side and the rear. His observations and his photographs 

 satisfied him that however the drum beat was produced, it was not 

 caused by the wings striking together behind the bird's back. I 

 do not think anyone who watched the drumming at close range, 

 and from the rear, could be persuaded that the wings struck to- 

 gether behind the bird's back, while I am equally sure that observa- 

 tions made from the front or the side might easily give rise to such 

 an opinion. 



What is perhaps the best series of pictures of the drumming of a 

 wild cock Grouse was published in 'Forest and Stream' for April, 

 1918. The author, Mr. Frederick K. Vreeland, during the course 

 of the article describes the opening wing beat as follows : " A slight 

 elevation of the wings and then they were thrown sharply back- 

 ward, striking together behind the bird's back with a deep soft 

 ' Boom,' returning almost instantly to the starting position, but 

 with the feathers somewhat spread." Further: "But I did suc- 

 ceed in getting one shot which, while it shows the wings only as a 



