RUFFED GROUSE . — Tetrao umbellus. 
The Ruffed Grouse is an American bird, and has some of the habits of the 
preceding species. Wilson writes as follows of it : — 
“ In walking through the solitary woods frequented by these birds, a stranger is 
surprised by suddenly hearing a kind of thumping very similar to that produced 
by striking two full-blown bladders together, but much louder. The strokes at 
first are slow and distinct, but gradually increase in rapidity, till they run into 
each other, resembling the rumbling sound of very distant thunder, dying 
away gradually on the ear. It is produced in the following manner : — 
“The bird, standing on an old prostrate log, generally in a retired and sheltered 
situation, lowers his wings, erects his expanded tail, contracts his throat, elevates 
the 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 / 5 
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