757 



tanue. One who lias liesird such a concert can never after mistake or 

 forget it. 



"Every few minutes this display is repeated, i have seen not only 

 one, but more than twenty cocks going through this funny operation 

 at once, but then they seem careful not to run against each other, for 

 they have not yet got to the fighting point. After a little while the 

 lady birds begin to show an interest in the proceedings by moving 

 about quickly a few yards at a time, and then standing still a short 

 time. When the actions are continued by a large number of birds 

 at a time it presents a funny sight, and you can easily think they are 

 moving to the measure of music. 



"The party breaks up when the sun is half an hour high, to be re- 

 peated the next morning and every morning for a week or two before 

 all make satisfactory matches. It is toward the latter part of the 

 love season that the fighting takes place among the cocks;, probably 

 by two who have fallen in love with the same sweetheart, whose mod- 

 esty prevents her from selecting between them." 



Their nests are placed on the ground, in prairies, meadows, the 

 edges or dryer parts of marshes and such other places as Bobwhites 

 would be likely to select, and are lined with grass. 



The number of eggs is usually from 8 to 13. In fact, there are two 

 extremes of all the records I have from this State; generally they are 

 from 9 to 11. Instances are recorded, from Nebraska, where the num- 

 ber was twenty-one (Kline, Ornithologist and Oologist, August, 1882, 

 p. 150). Their eggs are frequently destroyed by high water, fire, the 

 plow and mower, in addition to the many naturaT'enemies of this bird. 

 The year 1892, which, by reason of the high water in northern Indiana 

 through May and June, was destructive to Bob white nests, was equally 

 so to those of the Prairie Hen. Mr. Deane informed me, June 5, of 

 seven nests found at English Lake, under water. The year before, he 

 wrote me of two nests having been found where the meadows had been 

 turned over. Under date May 4, 1890, Mr. Deane wrote me that that 

 day Mr. E. A. Stafford, who had a dog with him, at Kouts, Ind., ob- 

 served the dog flush a Prairie Chicken, which at that moment or just 

 before had laid an egg upon the bare ground. 



Nests are generally found with fresh eggs from late in April to early 

 June. Mr. H. K. Coale found a nest at Tolleston, July 4, 1880, with 

 13 eggs. Major Bendire notes an instance where fresh eggs were 

 found in August, indicating that occasionally a second brood is 

 brought forth. The female sits and cares for the young. The exact 

 period of incubation is unknown, but it is between three and four 

 weeks. The young and adults at this season feed almost exclusively 



