COURTSHIPS OF LABRADOR BIRDS 
and not incidental to flight. Although we saw 
a number of spruce partridges in various places 
on the coast, and although we watched and 
listened eagerly for their nuptial performance, 
we were unsuccessful. Bendire quotes the 
following description of the act: ‘‘ After strut- 
ting back and forth for a few minutes, the male 
flew straight up, as high as the surrounding 
trees, about 14 feet; here he remained station- 
ary an instant, and while on suspended wing 
did the drumming with the wings, resembling 
distant thunder, meanwhile dropping down 
slowly to the spot from where he started, to 
repeat the same thing over and over again.”’ 
He also quotes another description of the drum- 
ming as follows: “‘ The Canada Grouse per- 
forms its ‘drumming’ upon the trunk of a 
standing tree of rather small size, preferably one 
that is inclined from the perpendicular, and in 
the following manner: Commencing near the 
base of the tree selected, the bird flutters up- 
ward with somewhat slow progress, but rapidly 
beating wings, which produce the drumming 
sound. Having thus ascended 15 or 20 feet 
it glides quietly on wing to the ground and 
repeats the manceuvre.” 
101 
