98

Concord, Mass.
1916.
Aug. 30
to
Nov. 4

Ruffed Grouse.

anything in or under them which seemed likely to be
eaten by those birds.

Autumnal drumming

  Cock Partridges drummed less often than usual in
our woodlands this autumn, although the weather was
apparently more than ordinarily favorable for such
performances. I heard them engaged in it only twice
in September (22nd [September 22, 1916] and 29th [September 29, 1916]), but four times during October
(4th [October 4, 1916], 7th [October 7, 1916], 18th [October 18, 1916] and 30th [October 30, 1916]); not once after the close of the 
latter month. On all but one of those occasions the sound
came either from swampy cover near the head of the Run
or from where, lower down, it is crossed by an ancient
stone wall enveloped in tangled thickets. This, ever since
I first became familiar with it, has been resorted to every spring
and autumn by drumming grouse although they
frequent it somewhat less regularly now than
formerly.