264 PINNATED GROUSE. 
the manner of Turkeys, seemingly with more mace than effect. 
This bumming continues from a little before daybreak to eight or 
ee o'clock -in the morning, when the parties separate to seek for 
‘ood. ; 
Fresh ploughed fields, in the vicinity of their resorts, are sure to be 
visited by these’ birds every morning, and frequently also in the 
evening. On one of these I counted, at one time, seventeen males, 
most of whom were in the attitude represented in the plate; making 
such a continued sound, as, I am persuaded, might have been heard 
for more, than a mile off. The people of the Barrens informed me, 
that, when the weather becomes severe, with snow, they approach the 
barn and farm-house, are sometimes seen sitting on the fences in 
dozens, mix with the poultry, and glean up the seattered grains of 
Indian corn, seeming almost half domesticated. At such times, great 
numbers are taken in traps. No pains, however, or regular plan, has 
ever been persisted in, ‘as far as I was informed, to domesticate these 
delicious birds. A Mr. Reed, who lives between the Pilot Knobs and 
Bairdstown, told me, that, a few years ago, one of his sons found a 
Grouse’s nest with fifteen eggs, which he brought home, and immedi- 
ately placed below a Hen then sitting, taking away her own. The 
nest of the Grouse was on the ground, under a tussock of long grass, 
formed with very little art, and few materials; the eggs were brown- 
ish white, and about the size of a pullet’s. In three or four days, the 
»whole were hatched. Instead of following the Hen, they compelled 
her to run after them, distracting her with the extent and diversity of 
their wanderings; and it was a day or two before they seemed to 
understand her language, or consent to be guided by her. They were 
let out to the fields, where they paid little regard to their nurse ; and, 
in a few days, only three of them remained. These became extremely 
tame and familiar; were most expert flycatchers ; but, soon after, 
they also disappeared. : 
The Pinnated Grouse is nineteen inches long, twenty-seven inches 
in extent, and, when in good order, weighs about three pounds and a 
half; the neck is furnished with supplemental wings, each composed 
of eighteen feathers, five of which are black, and about three inches 
long ; the rest shorter, also black, streaked laterally with brown, and 
of unequal lengths; the head is slightly crested; over the eye is an 
elegant, semicircular comb of rich orange, which the bird has the 
power of taising or relaxing; under the neck wings are two loose, 
pendulous, and wrinkled skins, extending along the side of the neck 
for two thirds of its length; each of which, when inflated with air, 
resembles, in bulk, color, and surface, a middle-sized orange; chin, 
cream colored; under the eye.runs a dark streak of brown; whole 
upper parts, mottled transversely with black, reddish brown, and 
white; tail short, very much rounded, and of a plain brownish soot 
color; throat, elegantly marked with touches of reddish brown, white, 
and black; lower part of thé breast and belly, pale brown, marked 
transversely with white ; legs, covered to the toes with hairy down of 
a dirty drab color; feet, dull yellow; toes, pectinated; vent, whitish ; 
bill, brownish horn color; eye, reddish hazel. The female is con- 
siderably less; of a lighter color, destitute of the neck wings, the 
naked, yellow skin on the neck, and the semicircular comb of yellow 
over the eye. 
