7 
elevated to a V shape. The bright, orange-colored air-sacs on each 
side of the neck, directly behind the tufts of feathers, are slowly in- 
flated, until they reach apparently the size of a tennis ball, when they 
appear like two small, ripe oranges, one protruding from either side 
of the neck. The duration of the call appears to closely coincide with 
the period of inflation, and seems to be emitted as the air enters the 
sac rather than when the air is expelled. The collapse of the sac is 
sudden. The sound is ventriloquial, and it is very difficult to locate 
the direction or distance whence it comes, unless the bird can be seen. 
A second sort of eall is much less frequent, and closely resembles a 
single syllable of the hoot of the barred owl. 
Another characteristic antic was a peculiar combination of a short 
run, a sudden jump of three to five feet into the air, and a rapid un- 
coordinated flop and scramble in the air, the bird usually alighting 
within ten or twenty feet of the starting point, but turning so as to 
face at least at right angles, or even in the opposite direction, from 
which it started. When in the air it emits a peculiar cacophonous call 
or cackle, which, when heard at a distance, gives the impression of 
a hearty burst of laughter. The purpose of these semi-somersault-like 
manceuvers appeared to be to attract the attention of other birds, possi- 
bly even as a challenge, for frequently they seemed to precede the 
somewhat pacific duels described above. The effect of these sounds, 
together with the “tooting” calls, in the mists which so often obtain 
in their habitat before sunrise is weird in the extreme. At 4.15 a.m. 
on May 2 these sounds were practically continuous, without appreciable 
interval, apparently from all directions. At 4.45 a.m. six birds could 
be counted, all in sight at once. They appeared to resort to a par- 
ticular clear space, of about two acres in extent, where the antics just 
described were carried on. All the birds, except one, were observed to 
have the orange-colored air-sacs. These were probably cocks. We 
saw only one bird which we suspected might be a hen. The other hens 
were probably nesting, or at least had secured mates, and no longer 
resorted to the promenading place. As the sun rose high the “ tooting ” 
became less frequent; the birds became more restless, often flying to . 
the neighboring low oaks, nesting there until disturbed. The flight 
reminds one of that characteristic of the carrion crow or black vulture 
of the south (Catharista wrubu),—a succession of four to ten strong, 
rapid wing-beats, followed by a sail of one hundred to two hundred 
yards on set wings; this is repeated until the bird again alights or 
passes beyond the range of vision. The line of flight is usually a 
straight line, twenty to twenty-five feet above the ground. Of our 
native birds, the manner of flight most resembles our meadowlark. 
The bird gives one the impression of admirable adaptation to the 
open country, — a large, muscular, hardy, vigorous bird, able to with- 
stand snow and sleet, in size equal or even exceeding the ruffed grouse 
in weight. Inhabitating open fields and pastures, subsisting on in- 
