208 FEATHEBED GAME 



The Upland's call is somewhat similar to the 

 " winter's," equally clear and musical and 

 rather more mellow in tone. Not so pow- 

 erful as the whistle of the "yellow-legs," nor 

 so long extended, it is in most cases three clear, 

 quickly-sounded notes, which are heard much 

 farther than would at first be thought. They 

 have also, a low, twittering note in conversation 

 among themselves, a sound like gurgling wa- 

 ter, but not sufficiently like it to cure your Au- 

 gust thirst contracted in pursuit of them. When 

 a flock is disturbed in their home fields, the scat- 

 tered members keep up a continual chorus of 

 this music from one bunch to another as they 

 wheel about in search of safe grounds to rest 

 upon. Seen on the wing when moving care- 

 lessly about in the mere enjoyment of flight, 

 traveling from knoll to knoll and not alarmed, 

 they will remind the observer of some of the 

 smaller hawks from their swift, sharp strokes 

 alternating with an easy, sailing flight. The 

 gunner will notice, however, this difference 

 from the sailing of the hawks that, in shore- 

 bird fashion, they carry their wings deeply 

 down-curved. 



There is little profit in trying to call them. 



