OUTDOORS 



peculiar habit of his, and has been the subject 

 of more discussion and dispute than almost 

 anything else except the merits of dogs. I 

 have heard this " drumming " in New Hamp- 

 shire forests, and in the woods of Iowa, Min- 

 nesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and other states. 

 I have flushed grouse from near huge bowl- 

 ders, and from the vicinity of fallen logs, 

 but never saw one in the very act of " drum- 

 ming," although within a few feet of them 

 several times while the " drum-beats " rever- 

 berated through the timber. The " boom- 

 ing " of the prairie-chicken or pinnated grouse 

 is acknowledged to be produced from the 

 bird's throat, but how the partridge does his 

 " drumming " is a mooted question. But he 

 does " drum," and the resonant woodland 

 roll of the tattoo is one of the striking sounds 

 of nature, as are the sonorous notes of the 

 bull-frogs. 



" The hills were brown, the heavens were blue; 



A woodpecker pounded a pine-top shell, 

 While a partridge whistled the whole day through 



For a rabbit to dance in the chaparral; 

 And a gray grouse drummed: 'All'swell! AH'swell!'" 



Like the quail, the ruffed grouse is suscep- 

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