6 2 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
the Barrens, he one morning recognized the well-known music 
of his old acquaintances, the Grouse, which, he assures me, are 
the very same with those he had known in Pennsylvania. But, 
what appeared to me the most remarkable circumstance relative 
to this bird, is, that none of all those writers who have attempted 
its history, have taken the least notice of those two extraordi¬ 
nary bags of yellow skin, which mark the neck of the male, and 
which constitute so striking a peculiarity. These appear to be 
formed by an expansion of the gullet, as well as of the exterior 
skin of the neck, which, when the bird is at rest, hangs in loose, 
pendulous wrinkled folds along the side of the neck, the supple¬ 
mental wings, at the same time, as well as when the bird is fly¬ 
ing, lying along the neck. But when these bags are inflated 
with air, in breeding-time, they are equal in size, and very 
much resemble in color a middle-sized, fully-ripe orange. By 
means of this curious apparatus, which is very observable seve¬ 
ral hundred yards off, he is enabled to produce the extraordinary 
sound mentioned above, which though it may easily be imitated, 
is yet difficult to describe by words. It consists of three notes 
of the same tone, resembling those produced by the Night- 
Hawks, in their rapid descent, each strongly accented, the latter 
being twice as long as the others. When several are thus en¬ 
gaged, the ear is unable to distinguish the regularity of those 
triple notes, there being at such times one continued humming, 
which is disagreeable and perplexing, from the impossibility of 
ascertaining from what distance or quarter it proceeds. While 
uttering this, the bird exhibits all the ostentatious gesticulations 
of a Turkey-cock, erecting and fluttering his neck-wings, wheel¬ 
ing and passing before the female, and close before his fellows, 
as in defiance. Now and then are heard some rapid, cackling 
notes, not unlike that of a person tickled to excessive laughter ; 
and, in short, one can scarcely listen to them without feeling 
disposed to laugh from sympathy. These are uttered by the 
the males, while engaged in fight, on which occasion they leap 
up against each other, exactly in the manner of Turkies, seem¬ 
ingly with more malice than effect. This humming continues 
