132 
THE PINNATED OROUSB. 
teristic. Though very pt'Ciiliar, it iw termfd tootingt 
frotn Us rewmblance to tim blowiiijcf of a couch or 
horn from a remote quarter. The feinate inakeB her 
nest on the grountl, in recesses very rarely tliscover- 
ed by men. She usually lays from (lmi to twelve 
eggB. Their colour ih of & brownish, inucli reaem- 
bliitg those of a guinea hen. When liatclied^ the 
brood is proKTled by her alone. Surrouudetl by 
her young, the mother hird exceediufily resembles a 
domealic hen and chickens. She frequently leads 
iliejn to feed in the roods croftsing the woods, on 
the remains of inai/e and oats contained in tlie dung 
dropped by the trttvellint; hoi^es. In that employ- 
ment tbey sre often surprised by the passengers. 
On such occasions the dam utters a cry of alarm. 
The luile ones immediately scamper to the brush ; 
and wfiile tliey are skulkin-i; into places of safety, 
their anxious parent beguiles llie spectator hy droop- 
ing and fiuttering her wings, limping along the path, 
rolling over in (he din, and other pretences of ina- 
bility to walk or fly. 
" During tlie period of mating, and while the 
females are occupied In incuhaiion, the males have 
a practice of as*.emhling, principitlly hy themselves. 
To some select anil cenirnl spot, where there is 
very Httle underwood, they repair from the ad- 
jf)ining district. From the exercises performed 
there, this is called a scraicking place. Tlietimeof 
meeting is the break of day. As soon as tlie light 
appears, the company assemblea from every aide. 
