32 THE GROUS. 



oak, and of such berries as grow only on dry 

 ground. 



The Pinnated Grous, it is believed, never drinks 

 from brooks or puddles of water, like other birds. In 

 confinement, it will not drink from a cup, but when 

 water is thrown on the cage, it will only sip the drops 

 which trickle down on the bars. It is most probable, 

 from this habit, that when in a wild state, this bird 

 drinks only the drops of dew which it finds on plants. 



These birds are much attached to the place where 

 they take up their residence, and from year to year 

 may be found within certain limited tracts of country, 

 and perhaps no where else within hundreds of miles 

 of that place. In such tracts they rear their young, 

 range through their particular haunts, and, unless de- 

 stroyed by the sportsman, die of old age, without once 

 going beyond a circuit of a few miles. 



A great peculiarity, which marks the appearance of 

 this bird, are the yellow bags, or pouches, situated on 

 the neck, and under the forward wings of the male. 

 When he is at rest, this skin hangs loose, and in folds. 

 But he has the power of filling them with air, and 

 when this is done, they resemble, both in colour and 

 size, a couple of oranges, fully ripe. 



By means of these bags, when thus filled, he has the 

 power of making a very peculiar noise, which may 

 easily be imitated, but cannot be described by words. 

 It may however be compared in tone to that made by 

 the nighthawk, when he descends from his towering 

 height towards the earth, but instead of one, it consists 

 of three notes, the last of which is twice as long as the 

 others. This noise may be heard on a still morning 



