(_about one half Nat. size_)]
"The Pinnated Grouse," says Audubon, "moves through the air with frequent
beats, after which it sails with the wings bent downwards, balancing
itself for a hundred yards or more, as if to watch the movements of its
pursuer, for at this time they can be easily observed to look behind them
as they proceed. They never rise when disturbed without uttering four or
five distinct clucks, although at other times they fly off in silence.
The ordinary voice of this species nearly resembles that of our domestic
fowls, but during the pairing season the male utters a peculiar call.
"The curious notes," continues the same writer, "emitted in the love
season are peculiar to the male. When the receptacles of air above
alluded to, which in form, colour, and size resemble a small orange, are
perfectly inflated, the bird lowers its head to the ground, opens its
bill, and sends forth, as it were, the air contained in these bladders in
distinctly-separated notes, rolling one after another, from loud to low,
and producing a sound like that of a large, muffled drum. This done, the
bird immediately erects itself, refills its receptacles by inhalation,
and again proceeds with its 'tootings.'" Audubon observed in those
Prairie Hens he tamed, that after producing the noise the bags lost their
rotundity and assumed the appearance of a burst bladder, but in a few
seconds became again inflated. He caught one of these birds and pierced
the air-cells with the point of a pin, after which it was unable to "toot"
any more. Another bird, of which he punctured one cell only, was unable to
inflate that one, but next morning could toot with the other, though not
so loudly as before. As soon as the pairing and fighting season is over,
the bladders collapse and are concealed beneath the feathers of the ruff.
During the winter they are much reduced in size. The bladders and long
neck-feathers are seen on the young males before the first winter, and
in the spring attain maturity, but they increase in size and beauty for
several years.
These birds live both on vegetable food and on insects. During the sowing
season they visit corn-fields of various kinds, where they do considerable
damage. They feed on the barberry, and various other berries growing on
low shrubs, on buds of various plants, and on acorns. "In the western
country," says Audubon, "these birds frequent the sumach bushes to feed
on their seeds, often in such numbers that I have seen them bent by their
weight, and I have counted more than fifty on a single apple-tree, the
buds of which they entirely destroyed in a few hours. They also alight
on high forest trees on the margins of large rivers. During winter these
Grouse congregate in large flocks, but as soon as the snows have melted
away, and the first blades of grass issue from the earth, announcing
the approach of spring, they separate into parties of fifty or more,
their love season commences, and a spot is pitched upon to which they
daily resort until incubation is established. Inspired by love, the male
birds, before the first glimpse of day lightens the horizon, fly swiftly
and singly from their grassy beds to meet, to challenge, and to fight
the various rivals led by the same impulse to the arena. The male is at
this season arrayed in his full dress, and enacts his part in a manner
not surpassed in pomposity by any other bird. Imagine them assembled to
the number of twenty by daybreak; see them all strutting in presence of
each other; mark their consequential gestures, their looks of disdain,
and their angry pride as they pass each other. Their tails are spread out
and inclined forwards to meet the expanded feathers of their neck, which
now, like stuffed frills, lie supported by the globular, orange-coloured
receptacles of air from which their singular booming sounds proceed. Their
wings, like those of the Turkey Cock, are stiffened, and declined so as
to rub and rustle on the ground as the bird passes rapidly along. Their
bodies are depressed towards the ground, the fire of their eyes evinces
the pugnacious workings of their minds, their notes fill the air around,
and at the very first answer from some coy female the heated blood of the
feathered warriors swells every vein, and presently the battle rages. Like
Game Cocks, they strike and rise in the air to meet their assailants with
greater advantage. Now many close in the encounter; feathers are seen
whirling in the agitated air, or falling around them tinged with blood.
The weaker begin to give way, and one after another seek refuge in the
neighbouring bushes. The remaining few, greatly exhausted, maintain their
ground, and withdraw slowly and proudly, as if each claimed the honours
of victory. The vanquished and the victors then search for the females,
who, believing each to have returned from the field in triumph, receive
them with joy. It not unfrequently happens that a male already mated is
suddenly attacked by some disappointed rival, who unexpectedly pounces
upon him after a flight of considerable length, having been attracted by
the cackling of the happy couple. The female invariably squats next to and
almost under the breast of her lord, while he, always ready for action,
throws himself on his daring antagonist, and chases him away never to
return."
In tracts of land in the western country, the Pinnated Grouse may be heard
booming and tooting before break of day, and at all hours afterwards until
sunset; but in those districts where they have been frequently annoyed
by that intruder, man, their meetings are more noiseless, their battles
shorter and less frequent, and their fighting-grounds more concealed. Many
of the young males fight in the autumn, the females generally joining them
to make peace.
The nest is made earlier or later, according to the latitude of the place,
between the beginning of April and the end of May. Audubon found a nest in
Kentucky finished and containing a few eggs at the first-mentioned date;
but he thinks, taking the difference of seasons into consideration, that
the average time is about the beginning of May. The nest, which is formed
of dry leaves and grass, neatly interwoven, is carefully placed amid the
tall grass, or a large tuft in the open ground, or at the foot of a bush.
The eggs are from eight to twelve in number, and are of a light colour.
The mother sits upon the nest eighteen or nineteen days, and as soon as
the young have freed themselves, leads them away from the nest, when the
male ceases to associate with her. In autumn the families congregate
together in flocks, which at the approach of winter consist of several
hundreds. When alarmed, the young squat so closely in the grass as to be
quite hidden. "Once," says Audubon, "my horse almost placed his foot on a
covey that was in the path. I observed them, and instantly leaped to the
ground; but, notwithstanding all my endeavours, the cunning mother saved
them by a single cluck. The little fellows rose on the wing for only a few
yards. I spent much time in search of them; I could not discover one. I
was greatly amused, however, by the arts the mother employed to induce me
to leave the spot where they lay concealed."
These birds never have more than one brood during the year; but should the
eggs have been destroyed, a second set is laid, generally fewer in number
than the first. About the 1st of August the young are nearly as large as
the little American Partridge, and are then fit for the table; but they do
not become strong in the wing till the middle of October.
The war against these Grouse is carried on in various ways. Some are shot
on their breeding-places, others killed with sticks, or caught in nets and
snares. "I observed," says Audubon, "that for several nights in succession
many of these Grouse slept in a meadow not far distant from my house. This
piece of ground was thickly covered with tall grass, and one dark night I
thought of amusing myself by trying to catch them. I had a large seine,
and took with me several negroes supplied with lanterns and long poles,
with the latter of which they bore the net completely off the ground. We
entered the meadow in the early part of the night, although it was so dark
that without a light, one could hardly have seen an object a yard distant,
and spreading out the leaded end of the net, carried the other end forward
by means of the poles, at the height of a few feet. I had marked before
dark a place in which a great number of the birds had alighted, and now
ordered my men to proceed towards it. As the net passed over the first
Grouse in the way, the alarmed bird flew directly towards the confining
part of the angle, and almost at the same moment a great number of others
arose, and, with much noise, followed the same direction. At a signal, the
poles were laid flat on the ground, and we secured the prisoners, bagging
some dozens. Repeating our experiment three times in succession, we met
with equal success; but now we gave up the sport on account of the loud
bursts of laughter from the negroes, who could no longer refrain. Leaving
the net on the ground, we returned to the house laden with spoil, although
I am confident that several hundreds had escaped."
"The Pinnated Grouse," as Audubon further relates, "is easily tamed, and
easily kept. It also breeds in confinement. I have often been surprised,"
he continues, "that it has not been fairly domesticated. While at
Henderson I purchased sixty alive that were expressly caught for me within
twelve miles of that village, and brought in a bag laid across the back
of a horse. I cut the tips of their wings, and turned them loose in a
garden and orchard about four acres in extent. Within a week they became
tame enough to allow me to approach them without their being frightened. I
supplied them with abundance of corn, and they fed besides on vegetables
of various kinds. This was in the month of September, and almost all of
them were young birds. In the course of the winter they became so gentle
as to feed from the hand of my wife, and walked about the garden like
so many tame fowls, mingling occasionally with the domestic poultry. I
observed that at night each individual made choice of one of the heaps in
which a cabbage had grown, and that they invariably turned their breast
to the wind, whatever way it happened to blow. When spring returned
they strutted, 'tooted,' and fought, as if in the wilds where they had
received their birth. Many laid eggs, and a good number of young ones made
their appearance; but the Grouse at last proved so destructive to the
young vegetables--tearing them up by the roots--that I ordered them to
be killed. So brave were some of the male birds that they never flinched
in the presence of a Turkey Cock; and now and then would stand against a
Dunghill Cock for a pass or two before they would run from him."
* * * * *
The PTARMIGANS (_Lagopus_) constitute a group of remarkable birds,
characterised by their very compact body, medium-sized wings, in which the
third quill is the longest, a short, slightly rounded, or straight tail,
composed of eighteen feathers, and a small beak. The comparatively small
feet have the tarsi and toes covered with hairy feathers. The rich plumage
varies in its hues according to the season of the year; the sexes are very
similar in their coloration, and the young soon acquire the same tints
as their parents. The unusually large claws possessed by the members of
this group are shed, like those of their congeners, when the plumage is
changed. The Ptarmigans inhabit both America and the Eastern Hemisphere as
far northward as vegetation extends, and have occasionally been seen even
at 80° north latitude. In a southerly direction they are met with as far
as the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the mountains of Central Europe.
These birds live on open ground, and feed upon twigs and leaves of shrubs,
berries, grasses, and seeds; their flight is quick, strong, and prolonged.
They walk and run very nimbly, and often escape from their pursuers by
hiding under shrubs or among heather, when much alarmed they take wing,
but even then never resort to the woods for shelter. Their eggs, which are
numerous, are spotted with dark brown. The young run about as soon as they
leave the egg, and follow their mother in search of food. At the approach
of winter several families frequently associate together.