HUFFED GROUSE. 
267 
in a retired and sheltered situation, lowers his wings, erects his expanded 
tail, contracts his throat, elevates the two tufts of feathers on the neck, 
and inflates his whole body, something in the manner of the turkey cock, 
strutting and wheeling about with great stateliness. After a few 
manoeuvres of this kind, he begins to strike with his stiffened wings in 
short and quick strokes, which become more and more rapid until they 
run into each other as has been already described. This is most common 
in the morning and evening, though I have heard them drumming at all 
hours of the day. By means of this, the gunner is led to the place of 
his retreat ; though to those unacquainted with the sound, there is great 
deception in the supposed distance, it generally appearing to be much 
nearer than it really is. 
The Pheasant begins to pair in April, and builds its nest early in 
May. This is placed on the ground at the root of a bush, old log, or 
other sheltered and solitary situation, well surrounded with withered 
leaves. Unlike that of the Quail, it is open above, and is usually com- 
posed of dry leaves and grass. The eggs are from nine to fifteen in 
number, of a brownish white, without any spots, and nearly as large as 
those of a pullet. The young leave the nest as soon as hatched, and 
are directed by the cluck of the mother, very much in the manner of the 
common hen. On being surprised, she exhibits all the distress and 
affectionate manoeuvres of the Quail, and of most other birds, to lead 
you away from the spot. I once started a hen Pheasant, with a single 
young one, seemingly only a few days old ; there might have been more, 
but I observed only this one. The mother fluttered before me for a mo- 
ment, but suddenly darting towards the young one, seized it in her bill, 
and flew off along the surface through the woods, with great steadiness 
and rapidity, till she was beyond my sight, leaving me in great sur- 
prise at the incident. I made a very close and active search around the 
spot for the rest, but without success. Here was a striking instance 
of something more than what is termed blind instinct, in this remark- 
able deviation from her usual manoeuvres, when she has a numerous brood. 
It would have been impossible for me to injure this affectionate mother, 
who had exhibited such an example of presence of mind, reason and 
sound judgment, as must have convinced the most bigoted advocates of 
mere instinct. To carry off a whole brood in this manner, at once, 
would have been impossible, and to attempt to save one at the expense 
of the rest would be unnatural. She therefore usually takes the only 
possible mode of saving them in that case, by decoying the person in 
pursuit of herself, by such a natural imitation of lameness as to impose 
on most people. But here, in the case of a single solitary young one, 
she instantly altered her plan, and adopted the most simple and effectual 
means for its preservation. 
The Pheasant generally springs within a few yards, with a loud whir- 
