. American ornithology, or, The natural history of the birds of the United States [microform]. Birds; Oiseaux. 298 DUSKY GROUSE. m\^ t 'in. of the Arctic regions, or Ptarmigans, are also found on the very elevated mountains of central Europe, where the temperature corresponds to that of more northern latitudes. Here they keep among the tufts of dwarf willows, which with pines, form the principal vegetation of these climates. The Grouse feeU almost exclusively on leaves, buds, berries, and espe- cially the young shoots of trees, pines, spruce, or birch, resorting to seeds only when compelled by
. American ornithology, or, The natural history of the birds of the United States [microform]. Birds; Oiseaux. 298 DUSKY GROUSE. m\^ t 'in. of the Arctic regions, or Ptarmigans, are also found on the very elevated mountains of central Europe, where the temperature corresponds to that of more northern latitudes. Here they keep among the tufts of dwarf willows, which with pines, form the principal vegetation of these climates. The Grouse feeU almost exclusively on leaves, buds, berries, and espe- cially the young shoots of trees, pines, spruce, or birch, resorting to seeds only when compelled by scarcity of other food, or when their usual moans of subsistence are buried beneath the snow. They sometimes, especially when young, pick up a few insects and worms, and are fond ot" ants' eggs. Like other gallinaceous birds, they are constantly em- ployed in scratching the earth, are fond of covering themselves with dust, and swallow small pebbles and gravol to assist digestion. No birds are more decidcdliy and tyrannically polygamous. Ah soon as the females are fecundated, the male deserts them, caring no further about them nor their progeny, to lead a solitary life. Like perfidious seducers, they are full of attentions, however, and display the greatest anxiety to secure the possession of those they are afterwards so ready to abandon. The nuptial season commences when the leaves first appear in spring. The males then appear quite intoxicated wi*h passion: they are seen, either on the ground, or on the fallen trunks of trees, with a proud deportment, an inflamed and fiery eye, the feathers of the head erected, the wings dropped, the tail widely spread—parading and strutting about in all sorts of extravagant attitudes, and expressing their feelings by sounds 80 loud as to be heard at a great distance. This season of ardor and abandonment is protracted till June. The deserted female lays, unnoticed by the male, far apart on the ground among low and thick bushes, from ei
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectois
