. The birds of Washington; a complete, scientific and popular account of the 372 species of birds found in the state . vals of approach: hut once arrived at the trysting |)lace she has l)ecomcvery shy. and will lake no part in the celebration, save hy a few tell-tale clucksand many coy e\asions. On these occasions, also, the cock works himself upinto .such a traus|)ort that he becomes oblivious to «langcr, so that he maybe narrowlv observed or even captured by a sudden rush. The \\1 .rouse are probably |)olygamo\is Imt between the THE SOOTY GROUSE. 575 males are infrequent, and there
. The birds of Washington; a complete, scientific and popular account of the 372 species of birds found in the state . vals of approach: hut once arrived at the trysting |)lace she has l)ecomcvery shy. and will lake no part in the celebration, save hy a few tell-tale clucksand many coy e\asions. On these occasions, also, the cock works himself upinto .such a traus|)ort that he becomes oblivious to «langcr, so that he maybe narrowlv observed or even captured by a sudden rush. The \\1 .rouse are probably |)olygamo\is Imt between the THE SOOTY GROUSE. 575 males are infrequent, and there is no great disparity in nnnil)ers between thesexes, so that tlie male, oftener than otherwise, mates but once during a least he is not known to carry on his amours abreast. When the femalehas laid her complement of eggs, from six to nine, in a shallow, leaf-lined de-pression at the base of a tree, bush, or rock, the male joins himself to a smallcompany of his widowed fellows, or else sulks out the season in ineffectualhooting. In choosing a nesting site the female is not at especial pains to find con-. l\ihri! jtcjy TiWiiihi, riioto by Diui-sou and Baz^h-s SOOTY GKOUSK 0.\ XEST. AN EXAMPLE OF PROTECTIVE HARMONY. cealment, relying i-ather upon the p-otective harmony (if her surroundings,—how securely may Ije noted in the accompanying illustration, where the coverwas of the slightest, yet perfectly in keeping. The bird even sits with half-closed lids, in order that the glint of the eye, the high light. niav not betravher presence. The creamy buff eggs, also, with their light brown spots and splashes, arecomparatively inconspicuous when exposed. In this connection it may be wellto note a claim advanced by D. E. Brown that eggs are occasionally unmarked 57 Till-: SOOTY .111(1 pun- If lias slinwn us111 f{(g taken fromhe liinl ljy a\iMiksack on till•41I1 of ^35. wliicli is of1 |)ak creamy tint,imiiarkerh<KKl secured111 efjjj u
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Keywords: ., bookauthordaws, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds
