. The gallinaceous game birds of North America, including the partridges, grouse, ptarmigan, and wild turkeys . nt in different portions of Canada. In the springthe Ptarmigan descends to the low grounds and themale begins his singular maneuvers to entice somefemale to join him. Selecting some particular spot, gen-erally a slight elevation, he struts about with loweredwings and expanded tail, head thrown back, and the redcombs over the eyes erect and conspicuous, takes a shortflight upward, and then sails around in a circle, descend-ing slowly on curved wings, alighting usually at or nearthe pl
. The gallinaceous game birds of North America, including the partridges, grouse, ptarmigan, and wild turkeys . nt in different portions of Canada. In the springthe Ptarmigan descends to the low grounds and themale begins his singular maneuvers to entice somefemale to join him. Selecting some particular spot, gen-erally a slight elevation, he struts about with loweredwings and expanded tail, head thrown back, and the redcombs over the eyes erect and conspicuous, takes a shortflight upward, and then sails around in a circle, descend-ing slowly on curved wings, alighting usually at or nearthe place from which he arose, uttering all the time shortquick notes resembling a petulant, hoarse bark. Regain-ing his first position he calls in a different note severaltimes repeated, and in a few moments again makes hiscircular flight. If the birds are numerous in the locality many maleswill be seen executing similar movements, and the air re-sounds with their barking notes. In due course thefemales appear in the vicinity, and then the males are ex-cited to frenzy and desperate battles occur among them, 142. 31. Willow Ptarmigan. WILLOW PTARMIGAN. 143 carried on with great energy and undaunted resolution,the feathers flying in all directions. The birds at thisperiod are usually in the transition plumage from winterto summer, some red feathers having already begunto appear on the neck, but the regular moult is notreally completely finished until several weeks later. Bythe middle of May the birds have about all succeededin obtaining mates, and the nesting season begins. Ashallow depression in the ground is lined loosely withdried leaves and grass, and on an average eight ornine eggs are deposited; sometimes as many as thir-teen and even seventeen have been found in one differ greatly in detail, though having a generalresemblance. The shape varies from an ovate to anelongate ovate, and the ground color from cream to red-dish buff, frequently hidden by a mass of dark reddi
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectgameandgamebirds
