and standing out in regular rows, which 

 press the feathers of the nape and hind 

 neck well back, forming a smooth kind 

 of cape on the back of the neck. This 

 smooth cape contrasts beautifully with 

 the ruffled black and white feathers of 

 the throat and fore breast. The red comb 

 over each eye is enlarged until the two 

 nearly meet over the top of the head. 

 This comb the bird is able to enlarge or 

 reduce at will, and while he is strutting 

 the expanded tail is moved from side to 

 side. The two center feathers do not 

 move, but each side expands and con- 

 tracts alternately with each step the bird 

 walks. The movement of the tail pro- 

 duces a peculiar rustling, like that of silk. 

 This attitude gives him a very dignified 

 and even conceited air. He tries to at- 

 tract attention in every possible way, by 

 flying from the ground up on a perch, and 

 back to the ground, making all the noise 

 he can in so doing. Then he will thump 

 some hard substance with his bill. I have 

 had him fly up on my shoulder and thump 

 my collar. At this season he is very bold, 

 and will scarcely keep enough out of the 

 way to avoid being stepped on. He will 

 sometimes sit with his breast almost 

 touching the earth, his feathers erect as 

 in strutting, and making peculiar nod- 

 ding and circular motions of the head 

 from side to side; he will remain in this 

 position two or three minutes at a time. 

 He is a most beautiful bird, and shows 

 by his actions that he is perfectly aware 

 of the fact." 



There seems to be a diversity of opin- 

 ion regarding the method followed by 

 this grouse to produce the drumming 

 sound. Mr. Everett Smith, as quoted by 

 Captain Bendire, says, ''The Canada 



Grouse performs 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 upward 

 with somewhat slow progress, but rapid- 

 ly beating wings, which produce the 

 drumming sound. Having thus ascend- 

 ed fifteen or twenty feet it glides 

 quietly on the wing to the ground 

 and repeats the maneuver." Ac- 

 cording to this and other authorities 

 a tree, usually spruce, having a diameter 

 of about six inches and inclining at an 

 angle of about fifteen degrees, is selected. 

 Frequently these trees are used so exten- 

 sively and for so long a time that the 

 bark on the upper side will be much 

 worn. Other authorities, and among 

 them Indians, who live in the regions fre- 

 quented by thi9 grouse, claim that the 

 drumming is produced while flying from 

 the branches of a tree to the ground, re- 

 peating the operation several times in 

 succession. Another authority describes 

 the drumming of the male as follows, 

 "After strutting back and forth for a few 

 minutes, the male flew straight up, as 

 high as the surrounding trees, about 

 fourteen 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." 



The Canada Grouse is easily domesti- 

 cated and would make an interesting and 

 amiable bird pet, because of their pecu- 

 liar habits. Seth Mindwell. 



161 



