78 
THE RUFFED GROUSE. 
drumming is repeated more frequently at all hours of the day; and where 
these birds are abundant, this curious sound is heard fron^all parts of the 
woods in which they reside. The drumming is performed in the following 
manner. The male bird, standing erect on a prostrate decayed trunk, raises 
the feathers of its body, in the manner of a Turkey-cock, draws its head 
towards its tail, erecting the feathers of the latter at the same time, and 
raising its ruff around the neck, suffers its wings to droop, and struts about 
on the log. A few moments elapse, when the bird draws the whole of its 
feathers close to its body, and stretching itself out, beats its sides with its 
wings in the manner of the domestic Cock, but more loudly, and with such 
rapidity of motion, after a few of the first strokes, as to cause a tremor in the 
air not unlike the rumbling of distant thunder. This, kind reader, is the 
“ drumming ” of the Pheasant. In perfectly calm weather it may be heard 
at the distance of two hundred yards, but might be supposed to proceed 
from a much greater distance. The female, which never drums, flies directly 
to the place where the male is thus engaged, and, on approaching him, opens 
her wings before him, balances her body to the right and left, and then 
receives his caresses. 
The same trunk is resorted to by the same birds during the season, unless 
they are frequently disturbed. These trunks are easily known by the 
quantity of excrements and feathers about them. The males have the liberty 
of promiscuous concubinage, although not to such an extent as those of the 
Pinnated Grouse. They have frequent and severe battles at this season, 
which, although witnessed by the females, are never interrupted by them. 
The drumming sounds of these birds lead to their destruction, every young 
sportsman taking the unfair advantage of approaching them at this, season, 
and shooting them in the act. 
About the beginning of May, the female retires to some thicket in a close 
part of the woods, where she forms a nest. This is placed by the side of a 
prostrate tree, or at the foot of a low bush, on the ground, in a spot where a 
heap of dry leaves has been formed by the wind. The nest is composed of 
dried leaves and herbaceous plants. The female lays from five to twelve 
eggs, which are of a uniform dull yellowish color, and are proportionate in 
size to the bird. The latter never covers them on leaving the nest, and in 
consequence the Raven and the Crow, always on the look out for such 
dainties, frequently discover and eat them. When the female is present, 
however, she generally defends them with great obstinacy, striking the 
intruder with her wings and feet, in the manner of the Common Hen.. 
The young run about and follow the mother, the moment after they leave 
the egg. They are able to fly for a few yards at a time, when only six or 
seven days old, and still very small. The mother leads them in search of 
