NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 23 



Bemarks upon a Proposed Arrangement of the Family of GROUSE, and New 



Genera added. 



BY D. G. ELLIOT. 



It has seemed to me advisable to give in a condensed form, before treating 

 the subject in a more elaborate manner in my forthcoming Monograph, the 

 results of my investigations, and the arrangement I would propose for the 

 Grouse Family. 



Tetrao, than which no generic term has been more abused in its %pplica- 

 tion, for it appears to have been indiscriminately given to any gallinaceous 

 bird, strictly belongs only to Urog alius and Urogalloides. The former is the 

 typical Tetrao, as instituted by Linnaeus, and possesses the beard-like append- 

 age observed, save in its near ally, in no other bird of this family. 



America has no representative of this genus, the nearest approach to it 

 perhaps, in the form of the tail and general appearance, being the bird com- 

 monly known as Tetrao obscurus; but it would seem that, excepting the 

 single species of Bonasa sylvestris, no European grouse can be considered as 

 included even in the same genus with those inhabiting the New World. 



I would state here, that I am not now speaking of the Lagopidae, for I do 

 not consider them as strictly grouse. The synoptical list that I would, there- 

 fore, propose for this portion of the Tetronidae, is as follows : 



1st. The Genus Tetrao confined to Europe and Asia ; comprising T. uro- 

 gallus and T urogalloides. 



2d. Centrocercus confined to America ; comprising C. urophasianus. 

 3d. Lgrurus confined to Europe ; comprising L. tetrix. 



For the next group, as its members appear to possess sufficient characters 

 to distinguish the species from the commonly known T. Canadensis, in hav- 

 ing gular sacks, the extraordinary number of twenty feathers in the tail, 

 instead of sixteen, I would propose the term 



th. Dendragapus confined to America ; comprising D. obscurus and Rich- 

 ardscnii. 



5th. Canace confined to America ; comprising C. Canadensis and C. Frank- 

 linii. 



6th. I would propose, as a generic term, founded upon the peculiar forma- 

 tion of its primary feathers, the specific appellation Falcipennis confined to 

 Asia, and in compliment to its discoverer Hartlaubii. 



1th. Cupidonia confined to America ; comprising C. cupido. 



8th. Fedisecseles confined to America ; comprising P. columbianus and P. 

 phasianellus. 



9th. Bonasa Europe and America ; comprising B. umbellus, B. umbelloides, 

 B. sylvestris, and B. sabini. 



Tetrao derbianus (Gould), appears to be identical with the common tetrix. 

 This opinion is formed upon a specimen, kindly sent to me by Mr. Gould, 

 which he thinks is the same as the type. The latter is now in the Liverpool 

 Museum. 



I can discover no difference between this example and the usual style of 

 T. tetrix, except that the tail is a trifle longer ; but as this varies considerably 

 among the Black Grouse, I have deemed it advisable to consider the genus 

 Lyrurus as possessed of but one species. 



1864.] 



