﻿FIELD AND FOREST. 59 



excursion one day, one of my neighbors said 'Your partridge has been 

 drumming.' I put an old stump in the box of my captive and it had 

 the desired results, for the next morning it was drumming loudly. I 

 observed its motions when drumming, through a hole in the box, and 

 am confident that the noise was caused by the wings coming forcibly 

 in contact with each other." 



The above explantions, exclusive of that which ascribed the sound to 

 a vocal effort, may be divided into two classes. First, those which 

 regard the sound as resulting from the bird's striking its wings to- 

 gether or against a tangible object ; and secondly, that supposing the 

 sound to proceed from the vibration of the wings merely. 



It seems almost needless to suggest the impossibilty of hearing the 

 slow, regular first strokes at "the distance of from a quarter to a half 

 mile," as Audubon and Nuttall assert that one may, when the bird 

 beats its sides with its wings ; and the assumption of Mr. Batty's that 

 objects like birds, wings should possess resonance enough to transmit, 

 to a similar distance, a noise resembling thunder is so manifestly er- 

 roneous as not to require further comment. 



Mr. Henshaw's idea of the analogy of the "drumming" of the Ruf- 

 fed Grouse and the "humming" of the Humming-bird requires quali- 

 fication. Let us look for a moment at the two birds ; the muscles 

 which set in motion the mechanism of the Humming-bird's flight are 

 among the notable instances of high development. Their power is sur- 

 prising. Moving with almost inconceivable rapidity the ample wings, 

 they enable the little aerial gem to toil hour after hour in its search 

 for insects — darting at times from one flower to another with such 

 lighting-like quickness as not to be followed with the eye. And 

 when the autumn air warns it to seek a more congenial clime, this wee 

 bit of animated nature, by the help of these same muscles, compasses 

 many degrees of latitude, performing journeys which appear incredible. 

 Yet the "humming" can not be heard at a greater distance than a few 

 yards. Are we to believe that a slow, regular beat of its wings could 

 be heard at all ? The wings of the Ruffed Grouse are, comparativly 

 speaking, short and rounded ; and, while they are firm and compact, 

 are not suited for extended flight or long continued, violent motion. 

 Nor do we see any remarkable development of the pectoral muscles. 

 They are in the Ruffed Grouse entirely normal, as comparison with 



