SHOULDER-KNOT HEATHCOCK. 
SOS 
America : its manners greatly resemble those of 
the Black Grous : the male placing himself upon 
some elevated stump, when he commences his 
peculiar noise called thumpings by flapping his 
wings against his sides : he begins the strokes 
gradually, at about two seconds of time from each 
other, and repeats them quicker and quicker, until 
they make a noise not unlike distant thunder. This 
continues from the beginning about a minute ; the 
bird ceases for six or eight minutes, and then be- 
gins again. During this ecstacy he is blind to the 
approach of the sportsman, who may take his aim 
at leisure, being directed by the bird to the noise, 
which may be heard at the distance of nearly half 
a mile. He commonly practises this thumping 
during the spring and fall of the year, and will do 
the same even if confined in a house : during the 
operation the crests on his head and sides of the 
neck are elevated, and the tail is expanded to its 
utmost. The female lays from twelve to sixteen 
eggs, on the ground, in a nest placed near the stump 
of a tree, amongst dry leaves : the young follow 
the mother like chickens, and the whole brood 
keep together till the spring : they feed on all 
sorts of grain and fruit, and are said to be par- 
ticularly fond of ivy-berries : their flesh is very 
good. They arc called Drumming Partridges in 
some parts of North America; and at Hudson’s 
Bay pushee or pupiishee. 
