234 THREE WESTERN BIRD GROUPS 



ten yards from that of his neighbor. The boom is apparent- 

 ly a challenge. It is preceded by a little dance in which the 

 bird's feet pat the ground so rapidly as to produce a rolling 

 sound. This cannot be heard at a greater distance than 

 thirty yards. It is immediately followed by the inflation of 

 the great orange air sacks at the side of the neck, which puff 

 out as quickly as a child's toy balloon-whistle; the tail is 

 erect and widely spread, the wings drooped, the neck-tufts 

 are raised straight upward, giving the bird a singularly 

 devilish look, then with a convulsive movement of the 

 lowered head the boom is jerked out and at its conclusion 

 the air sacks have become deflated. 



One might imagine that after so violent a performance 

 the bird would feel a certain sense of exhaustion or at least 

 quiescent relief, but his excess of vitaldy seeks still other 

 outlets. Uttering hen-like calls and cacks he suddenly 

 springs a foot or more straight into the air, whirling about 

 as though he were suffering from a combined attack of 

 epilepsy and St. Vitus dance. 



But all this activity is only a prelude to the grand finale 

 of actual combat. Like a strutting Turkey cock, the 

 neighboring birds go toward each other by short little runs, 

 head down, the orange eye-brow expanded and evident, 

 pouch inflated, neck-tufts and tail straight up, and looking 

 like headless birds with two tails. Their meeting is followed 

 by no make-believe duel but an actual clash of wings. Utter- 

 ing a low, whining note they fight as viciously as game 

 cocks, and the number of feathers left on the ground testi- 

 fies to effective use of bills and claws. 



The first bird called at 4 :40, and by seven o 'clock the per- 

 formance was practically over. Either the birds had passed 

 the night out on the prairie or had left their sleeping places 

 in the bushy coverts of the bottom while still it was dark. 



It is commonly believed that the performance I have out- 

 lined, is for the edification of the females who have been 

 described as interested spectators of the proceedings, but 



