PRAIRIE HEN. 
37 
tion of the Turkey. He now seeks out or meets his rival, and 
several pairs at a time, as soon as they become visible through 
the dusky dawn, are seen preparing for combat. Previously to 
this rencontre, the male, swelling out his throat, utters what is 
called a tooting, — a ventriloquial, humming call on the female, 
three times repeated ; and though uttered in so low a key, it 
may yet be heard three or four miles in a still morning. About 
the close of March in the plains of Missouri we heard this 
species of Grouse tooting or humming in all directions, so that 
at a distance the sound might be taken almost for the grunting 
of the bison or the loud croak of the bull-frog. While utter- 
ing his vehement call, the male expands his neck-pouches to 
such a magnitude as almost to conceal his head, and blowing, 
utters a low drumming bellow like the sound of 'k'-tom-boo, 
’k’-tom-boo, once or twice repeated, after which is heard a sort 
of guttural squeaking crow or kd^k, koak, koak. In the inter- 
vals of feeding we sometimes hear the male also cackling, or 
as it were crowing like 'ko ko ko ko, kook kooh. While en- 
gaged in fighting with each other, the males are heard to utter 
a rapid, petulant cackle, something in sound like excessive 
laughter. The tooting is heard from before daybreak till 
eight or nine o’clock in the morning. As they frequently as- 
semble at these scratching-places, as they are called, ambus- 
cades of bushes are formed round them, and many are shot 
from these coverts. 
The female carefully conceals her nest in some grassy tus- 
sock on the ground, and is but seldom discovered. The eggs 
are from ten to twelve, and of a plain brownish color. The 
young are protected and attended by the female only, who 
broods them under her wings in the manner of the common 
fowl, and leads them to places suitable for their food, some- 
times venturing with her tender charge to glean along the 
public paths. When thus surprised, the young dart into the 
neighboring bushes, and there skulk for safety, while the wily 
parent beguiles the spectator with her artful pretences of 
lameness. The affectionate parent and her brood thus keep 
together throughout the whole season. By the aid of a dog 
