THE POULTRY KIND. 



tremely active upon one of the largest branches 

 of the pine tree. With his tail raised and ex- 

 panded like a fan, and the wings drooping, he is 

 seen walking backward and forward, his neck 

 stretched out, his head swoln and red, and mak- 

 ing a thousand ridiculous postures : his cry, upon 

 that occasion, is a kind of loud explosion, which 

 is instantly followed by a noise like the whetting 

 of a scythe, which ceases and commences alter- 

 nately for about an hour, and is then terminated 

 by the same explosion. 



During the time this singular cry continues, 

 the bird seems entirely deaf, and insensible of 

 every danger : whatever noise may be made near 

 him, or even though fired at, he still continues his 

 call ; and this is the time that sportsmen general- 

 ly take to shoot him. Upon all other occasions 

 he is the most timorous and watchful bird in na- 

 ture ; but now he seems entirely absorbed by his 

 instincts, and seldom leaves the place where he 

 first begins to feel the accesses of desire. This 

 extraordinary cry, which is accompanied by a 

 clapping of the wings, is no sooner finished, than 

 the female hearing it replies, approaches, and 

 places herself under the tree, from whence the 

 cock descends to impregnate her. The number 

 of females that on this occasion resort to his 

 call, is uncertain j but one male generally suffices 

 for all. 



The female is much less than her mate, and en- 

 tirely unlike him in plumage, so that she might 

 be mistaken for a bird of another species : she 

 seldom lays more than six or seven eggs, which 



