Show dance of the grouse odd performance the dance of the grouse takes place at daybreak says an authority in the detroit free press the birds both males and females assemble at some favorite place I 1 to go through a performance as curious as it is eccentric the males with ruffled feathers spread tails expanded air sacs on the neck heads drawn toward the back and drooping wings strut about in circles not all going the same way but passing and crossing each other at various angles As the dance proceeds the excitement cit ement of the birds increases they leap forward they stamp the ground with short quick beats of the feet they produce a hollow sound that reverberates reverberated rever berates through the still air of the breaking day suddenly they become quiet and walk about like creatures whose sanity is unquestioned when some male again becomes possessed and starts off on a rampage and the attack from which he suffers becomes infectious and all the other birds at once give evidence ot of having taken the disease the sharp tall grouse is not much of a nest builder placing its eggs in a hollow in the ground scantily lined there are from 10 to 13 dark colored purplish buff eggs which fade after they are laid these hatch after three weeks into youngsters covered with yellowish down |