108 THE GAME BIRDS 
which adorns the neck on either side, beneath 
which is a large, bare patch of yellow 
skin which in the breeding season the male 
distends. The female is very similar, but the 
neck tufts are shorter. Length 17 to 18 
inches. Extent 28 to 29 inches and over. 
Eyes brown. Bill brown. Feet yellowish. 
This bird, while not for a moment to be 
classed with the ruffed grouse, is still a great 
favorite with sportsmen. ‘Their flight is not 
so rapid as that bird, but more protracted and 
unaccompanied by the disconcerting whir-r-r 
of the other, although they can raise up quite 
a racket when suddenly disturbed. 
Their flesh is dark, and does not compare 
favorably with that of the ruffed grouse, but 
being more plentiful they occupy a favorite 
place in the market. 
Their habitat is the open prairie, seldom 
visiting the timber. In former days, this bird, 
or a representative of the family (the heath- 
hen), was not uncommon on our Eastern 
plains, but they have gradually dwindled 
away, until only one colony now exists, upon 
the island of Martha’s Vineyard. And such 
is the greed for gore and gain, that were it 
not for the strenuous efforts of a few far- 
sighted men, who can see more than a foot 
beyond their noses, these birds, too, would 
have long since gone the way of the Great 
Auk and the Labrador Duck. I cannot speak 
in too strong words of contempt of the action 
of those, who, even now in spite of the pro- 
