268 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



ing low from bush to bush, as though endeavouring to arrive 

 unheralded. Twice we caught sight of a fox silently and craft- 

 ily stealing along. Once we saw a lynx a soft gray shadow- 

 slinking through the undergrowth ahead. It seemed as if all 

 the Strong Woods dwellers were going to the love dance, too, 

 and, I remember, Ojistoh began to feel afraid. But," smiled 

 Oo-koo-hoo, "she was devoured with curiosity; and, besides, 

 was not her young lover with her? Why need she fear? 



"When we came to the foot of a ridge the drumming sounded 

 very near. With utmost wariness we crawled from bush to 

 bush, pausing every now and then, and crouching low. Then, 

 judging the way still clear, we crawled forward, and finally 

 gained the top of the ridge. With thumping hearts we rested 

 a moment in a crouching posture, for we had at last arrived 

 upon the scene. Slowly and breathlessly raising our heads, 

 we peered through the leafy screen and beheld the love dance 

 in full swing. 



"And there, my son, on a clear sandy opening in the wood, 

 twenty or thirty partridge hens were dancing in a semicircle, 

 in the centre of which, perched upon a rotten log, a beautiful 

 cock partridge drummed. He was standing with his small 

 head thrust forward upon a finely arched neck which was 

 circled by a handsome outstanding black ruff, fully as wide as 

 his body. His extended wings grazed his perch, while his 

 superb tail spread out horizontally. 



" 'Chun chun chun chun chun-nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn,' he 

 hissed slowly at first, but with steadily increasing rapidity. 

 His bill was open; his bright eyes were gleaming; his wings were 

 beating at such a rate that the forest resounded with the 

 prolonged roll of his drumming. Again and again he shrilled 

 his love call, and again and again he beat his wondrous ac- 

 companiment. Every little while the whirring of swiftly mov- 

 ing wings was heard overhead as other hens flew down to join 

 in the love dance. To and fro strutted the cock bird in all his 



