The Audubon Societies 



171 



GOLDEN PHEASANT 

 Normal pose. The specialized feathers of the cape and tail are relatively inconspicuous 



tail, splashing it with the red of his upper tail-coverts, one wonders how his 

 somber-colored mate can ever resist. His brilliant yellow eye gleams over the 

 top of the cape, but it gets no response from her, for she either appears per- 

 fectly unconcerned or she dodges back without so much as giving him a glance. 

 The display of the Lady Amherst Pheasant is very similar, but the numerous 

 other species have each their characteristic courtships which are easily watched 

 in an aviary or on a game-farm. I was once fortunate enough to watch a wild 

 Ring-necked Pheasant displaying before its mate. He began by pecking the 

 ground as if to attract her attention and then followed a little stamping. With 

 his head still down, the wing toward the female was lowered to the ground 

 carrying the spotted flank feathers with it. The tail was then spread and the 

 back feathers shifted, as in the display of the Golden Pheasant, until the picture 

 which was presented to the female was that of a perfectly gorgeous shield, 

 almost heart-shaped, the iridescent bars and spots making a beautiful pattern 

 on an orange and maroon background. 



The display of our native Ruffed Grouse is no less interesting though less 

 brilliant. As illustrated in the photograph, both wings are drooped to the 

 ground and the fan-like tail is lifted as with the more gorgeous peacock. The 

 iridescent black ruff feathers which normally lie almost concealed on the side 

 of the neck are then lifted until they make a perfect circlet into which the 

 head fits, like an extreme Elizabethan ruff. The cock bird struts beside the 

 hen until the spirit moves him to enter into the final spasm. He begins then 

 to shake his head from side to side, uttering short, hissing sounds with each 

 twist. Finally, with a short, quick run, he gets in front of the female, and, 

 shaking his head so rapidly that the ruff is but one continuous iridescent blur, 

 he turns quickly, stiffening his legs and turning his tail laterally so that she 



