252 Bird - Lore 



enough for successful photographing, we were well situated for using our field 

 glasses. The birds were all actively feeding in the open field, apparently on 

 grasshoppers and other insects, but nipping red clover leaves very freely. 

 They moved leisurely about. Frequently two birds, sometimes as much as one 

 hundred to one hundred and fifty yards apart, ran directly toward each other^ 

 dancing and blowing on the way, with the so-called ' neck wings ' pointed upward 

 in a V form. On facing each other, both squatted and remained motionless from 

 one to five minutes. We could see none of the nodding and pecking motions of the 

 head so commonly indulged in by domestic fowls when fighting; rarely was there 

 sparring with the bill or striking with the feet and wings. In twelve or fifteen 

 encounters, only three or four times did they strike thus, and only once did we 

 see ' feathers fly. ' Most of the energy seems to be spent in posturing and blowing. 

 Generally, one of the combatants backed slowly away, suddenly stopping if the 

 opponent advanced too rapidly. In all these fighting tactics the similarity of 

 habits with those of the domestic fowl were very marked. From all directions 

 came the peculiar ' toot, ' like distant tug-boats in a fog, all having whistles of the 

 same pitch. This call may be well imitated by blowing gently into the neck of 

 a two-drachm homoeopathic vial. Each call extends over a period of two seconds,, 

 and is repeated at frequent intervals. It is prefaced by a run of about one yard^ 

 with very rapid, mincing steps. The strides, however, are so short that the bird 

 does not advance rapidly. The tail is spread and the wings dropped after the 

 manner of the strutting Turkey cock. When the tail is spread, the white under- 

 tail coverts are conspicuous, and remind one forcibly of the 'white flag' of the 

 deer and antelope or of our gray rabbit. The head is then depressed and the neck 

 outstretched forward until it is about parallel with the surface of the ground; the 

 neck tufts are elevated to a V-shape. The bright, orange-colored air-sacs on each 

 side of the neck, directly behind the tufts of feathers, are slowly inflated until 

 they reach apparently the size of a tennis-ball, when they appear like two small, 

 ripe oranges, one protruding from either side of the neck. The duration of the 

 call appears to closely coincide with the period of inflation, and seems to be 

 emitted as the air enters the sac, rather than when the air is expelled. The coUapse 

 of the sac is sudden. The sound is ventriloquial, and it is very difficult to Iccate 

 the direction or distance whence it comes, unless the bird can be seen. A second 

 sort of call is much less frequent, and closely resembles a single syllable of the 

 hoot of the Barred Owl. 



Another characteristic antic was a peculiar combination of a short run, a 

 sudden jump of three to five feet into the air, and a rapid uncoordinated flop and 

 scramble in the air, the bird usually alighting within ten or twenty feet of the start- 

 ing point, but turning so as to face at least at right angles, or even in the opposite 

 direction from which it started. When in the air, it emits a peculiar cacophonous 

 call or cackle, which, when heard at a distance, gives the impression of a hearty 

 burst of laughter. The purpose of these semi-somersault-like manoeuvers ap- 

 peared to be to attract the attention of other birds, possibly even as a challenge. 



