63

63
1898
and darkness was beginning to fall as we
strolled through the quiet woods, towards the
the scene of the strumming of the Partridge.
This event I have long wanted to hear and
it was with mingled feelings of mystery
and excitement that I drew near the place.
The spot where the male drums is a
certain stone in a wall by a large maple
near the river and completely surrounded by
trees. It was quite dark when we got within some 30 yds of the place
and then remained motionless and listened.
Everything was quiet save the piping of the
Hylas in the low ground, and the occa-
sional chatter of the Maryland Yellowthroat.
Soon the first beat of the drum call sounded
through the trees. It was followed by beat
after beat, at first slow & steady, then rapidly
repeated till it became a continued roll
ere it diminished in sound but not in
rapidity as it died away. I should say
that the performance lasted about
10 seconds. It was very impressive, not as
loud as I expected but more muffled.
There were about 2 minute intervals
between the periods of drumming. We
listened to six drum calls ere we left.