“ Toward inoi'iiiiig—but long before dawn—at two or tlireo o'clock generally, and wliile tlio stillness yet I'cigns upon the earth like a
snperinciimhcnt thing, tlie Cock awakes and begins his peculiar call, Tbongli low in tone, sncb an absolute qnict rcigiS, that it is heard
distinctly oven when you arc not close to tlic bird.
■' iioforc this begins, liowever, you must be near the tice you noted so well the preceding ovoning, As it is still niglit, tliei
difficulty iu discovering any object; and only tlio dark, nndcfined ontliiic.s of large masses like trees can be discovered as you peer upward,
iiiiil yonr vision grows accustomed to the darkiic
“ But lia rk ! from a distance yon hear a sound which, did you not know wiiat it was, you surely would never interpret- From a
ti-oe-to|) it comes across to yon through the air, sounding something like a pci'son pronouncing ‘ Tut, tut,’ gnttnrally, in the depth of his
tliroat, or as if two pieces of liard wood were being knocked against each other.
“ Well, tiiat’s a cheering circumstance; for, though yon know lie must be there, you wove not sure if he would call or not, and without
tliat tiicro ivcro no possibility of approacliiug liiin. And after i-lsing a t miduiglit, and a walk of some hours through the wood, and
a cold hour’s watching before the dawn, it is vexations to hear nothing; and stiil more so, ivhcn day is just breaking, to distinguish tho
dark form of the capercailc a hundred yards distant, on a projecting bough.
“ But this inovniiig there is no cause for regrets, or lamentation, or complaint. You are a t your post betimes, the bird is not far, and
bo has begun his lovo-call; and tliat is all yon can desire. Ho repeats it often, too, and quicker, and more quickly, and you have a
foreboding of success; for such accelerated utterance botokems that the sweet fi'cnzy possesses him, and that love and its madness are
blinding him, oven as they blind men. Tho guttural ‘ tut, tu t,’ i.s followed by another, not unlike the smack with the tongue o
in wine «'ill give after hai'ing tasted a sort which ho finds superlatively excellent. This is repeated t
changing, now louder now lowci-, sound, resembling a long draivu-out ‘ whish,’ or that gliding sound which a scytlic makes in sweeping a t
raoniing tlirongli tlic heavy, dewy grass. Tills is tho close of the call; and while he utters it, lie spreads out his tail like a fan, the
wings, quivering with excitement, arc o.\toiidcd downward, and with head outstretched, and all the fcathei's round the neck standing on
end like a ruff, he pirouettes on his qjcrch, ov goes sideways to and fro the whole length of the branch. I t is during this finale that the
bird may be approached; for while the fit is on him, while the ecstasy lasts, he sees and hears nothing.”
1711011 littering this note, the hunter takes a few steps forward, and then remains motionless, waiting for a repetition of the call; and
if ho times his movements properly, ho is enabled to appvoacli within shot, without having bis presence noticed by the bird.
Early in ilay, tho fcmiile, having selected a place amid long grosses, or in the thick bushes, for lier nest, wliicli is carelessly formed,
lays from eight to twelve eggs, and after about four weeks’ batching the young appear. Those immediately desert the nest and follow
the hen, who evinces the most tender care for them, and feeds them upon ants’ eggs, insccfs, &c.
This species is the type of tho gcnns Tetvao, as constituted by Linmens, and wliich formerly was made to iuolndo nearly all the members
of this family; but, as now restricted, it contains only this bird and its relative, the T. Urogalhidcs.
A great difference exists in tlie relative size of tho two sexc.s of tlie T. Ui'ogallus, the male being nearly as large again as the fcimilo;
and ber flesh is mncli more preferable for food, as it is tender and juicy.
The male has tho entire upper parts blackish brown, every feather speckled with grayish. Hoad and iicok similarly marked; the
feathers of the throat wliich are clongutod arc black, • Breast black, with rich green reflections on the upper portion, Flanks brownish
gray speckled with black, and with a few white leathers intermingled. Upper tail coverts like the hack, tipped with white; under coverts
black, also iiiargiiicd with the same, Tail black. Bill horn-color; feathci-s on the legs brown, with a few bars of dark brown,
Feet brown.
The female has the upper parts a rich reddish brown, barred and blotched with black ; the fcathei's of tho hind neck and rump tipped
with grayish white. Sides of neck, and throat and breast, rich orange, barred with black on the fonner; rest of lower parts lighter
orange, each feather tipped with white. Tail reddish brow-n, barred with blackish brown, Bill dull liorii-color. Tarsi covered with grayish
brown fcathei's. Toes bi'owii.
The average length of the male is about three feet, and its v
The plate represents the two sexes, considerably reduced in si
'eight eight o e pounds. The female is about two n length.