Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-10-29
DRUMMING OF GROUSE.
The Process as Described by an OBJ
servant Woodsman.

A particular description OF the man
ner in which the male grouse drums
is given by Edward Banks, Of Price
County, Wis, who has spent some
time in observing it at this pastime
If it may be called a pastime. Banks
has been building a cabin amid the
hemlock woods near Long Lake, going
to his work just after daybreak and
putting in all of the day hours with
axe and saw.
Early in May he heard a grouse
drumming. AS usual the sound seemed
to be long way off, but he decided to
investigate and began moving softly
among the trees. He found the bird
within fifty yards got within twenty
yards of it, hid behind big birch and
watched it.
The grouse stood upon a dead log
nearly three feet through and bare of
bark. 1t was standing motionless
when Banks saw it, apparently half
asleep.
Soon it began to show signs of I'M
easiness, poking its head first to the
left and then to the right. Then 1t
sQuatted, bringing its breast within
an inch of the log and began to drum.
The drumming lasted for eight or
ten seconds, then ceased, and the bird
became once more erect. Fully five
minutes elapsed before it drummed
again. So long as he watched it, inter
walls of from three to five minutes
passed between the cummings.
1t always preceded the drumming
by the signs of uneasiness, moving its
head to right and left, sometimes
shifting it feet upon the log. Just be-
fore the drumming started, when it
had squatted into position, it spread
out the gray feathers of its tail as
widely as they would go, making a fan
just as the turkey gobbler spreads
its tail when it struts.
This fan the grouse brought down
upon the log and held it there, press
ing its against the timber as tightly
as possible. and it KEEP. it so while
the drumming lasted. not relaxing the
tension until the last sound had
ceased. While drumming the head
was stretched far forward and the
neck was rigid.
The bird always began its drum
ming by two or three tentative flaps,
given slowly and producing only a
softly mufned noise. 1t seemed to be
doubtful of it's ability to drum and APP
peared to be trying how it would 60.
After these two or three flaps it
brought its wings sharply against its
body and sailed out into the full tide
of its instrumental ion. The strokes,
at first slow, increased swiftly in
rapidity, finally merging into the
thunderous roll made by the wings Of
the grouse when in full fight. Then
the drumming ceased abruptly, not
shading down into slowness and soft
ness, as it had begun.
Sometimes, having completed its
beats, the grouse would walk up and
down on the log for two or three
feet, evidently immensely proud of it.
self. Always when the drumming was
resumed, it took its original position,
standing with its feet in exactly the
same place.
In making this sound the rear edges
of the wings were brought down and
forward. The grouse, in fact, seemed
to be scooping its wings forward and
slapping itself upon the breast in
much the same manner as man slaps
himself upon the chest in cold wealth
er; only, of course, the wings were not
crossed. The wings we're brought as
far forward as possible and out
stretched before they were slammed
against the body.
On every clear day since then this
grouse has drummed on the same log,
standing in the same place 1t keeps it
I'D for hours in the morning, goes
away shortly before noon and returns
about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, drum
ming nearly until sunset at intervals
of five minutes.
Banks is certain that it does not
brush the log with the tips of its
wings and that such contact has no
part in producing the hollow, thunder
Gus notes of the drum. There is
short green moss on the log where
the grouse stands, and though the
bird has drummed there not less than
a dozen times this moss shows no sign
Of having been disturbed.
Banks is certain that the female is
nesting somewhere near. When the
hen is sitting the male bird does not
wander far from the nest.-N. Z.
Sun.