112 GAME BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



mandibles, he exhausts the air sacs and gives vent to the 

 booming sound that rolls and echoes, like the tones from 

 the great pipes of the organ, over the wide prairie. 

 W^here hundreds of males are so occupied in the stillness 

 of the early day, before the sun has risen, and the shadows 

 of departing night are being faintly dissipated by the rosy 

 tints that herald his coming beams, the concert of varied 

 sounds is very impressive, as the many different tones 

 come from every direction, echoing through the air, and 

 carried in strong booming notes for great distances over 

 the prairie-land. Shortly after the sun has fairly risen the 

 display ceases and the birds go about their daily avoca- 

 tion, to commence the same exhibition again the next 

 morning. Occasionally during the day, in places where 

 the birds are not molested, or removed from the presence 

 of human beings, the boom of some male may be 

 heard at almost any hour, but no concerts are attempted 

 save just at daybreak. These displays continue for a 

 number of days, and toward the latter part of their court- 

 ship the males are more anxious, and do not take as 

 much care to avoid contact with each other as they did 

 at first, and then desperate battles occur, the fighting 

 cocks leaping into the air and tearing at each other with 

 bills and claws and striking with their wings, until the 

 weaker, utterly exhausted, flees away and leaves the field 

 and, what is of much more importance doubtless in his 

 eyes, the hens also, to the victor. 



These fair feathered creatures have lately shown much 

 more interest in the antics and combats of the males, 

 and move about them, quickly at times, or else remain 

 motionless and watch them displaying themselves in all 

 the pride of conscious power and beauty as they slowly 

 move along, or when, in the midst of the deadly fray, the 

 courageous birds strive for some particular sweetheart 



