56 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



regiment of soldiers could equal the stately poise 

 and steps in which he so frequently indulges. With 

 his fan-like tail gracefully spread, his neck poised 

 in the most approved military style, wings stiffened 

 and arched to the ground like the sails of a boat, 

 he marches, struts, drums, wheels, constantly pro- 

 ducing a deep guttural and altogether unlovely 

 song until some lonely female accepts him for a 

 mate. 



The dusky grouse also drums for his own dance. 

 He dances not only during the day, but also the 

 early part of the night during the mating season. 

 Evidently he does not believe in letting the object 

 of his affection have a chance to think alone over 

 his proposal. His song is totally lacking in charm, 

 and is more like a whirring or guttural whining 

 than real music. This he produces by an alternate 

 inflation and contraction of the air sacs in his 

 throat. 



Perhaps among the classical dancers the wild 

 turkey gobbler should be ranked as a leader 1 His 

 dances consist chiefly of graceful poses, marches, 

 and wheelings done with an airiness and grace pos- 

 sible to few artists. Occasionally he springs up in 

 the air precisely as if he had been turned suddenly 

 into a feather-like ball and was floating upward 

 without any effort, 



