THE ALLIES OF THE PIGEON 



385 



One of the best known is the woodcock, which frequents 

 low, moist, wooded regions. The tip of the upper mandible 

 can be moved upward, so that it is of use in feeling for and 

 seizing worms in the ground. The Wilson's snipe of fresh- 

 water meadows and swamps, and the upland plover of higher 

 and drier pastures, are other familiar species of shore birds. 



Grouse, Quail, Tur- 

 keys, Pheasants, and 

 Allies. The gallinace- 

 ous birds, Galli'nae 

 (Lat. gallina, "hen"), 

 commonly known as 

 scratching birds, have 

 a stout, convex beak 

 with which they pick 

 up seeds of plants, 

 which form a large 

 part of their food. The 

 wings are short and 

 rounded, and the 

 short, stout legs have 

 strong toes adapted to 

 scratching (Fig. 197). 



Nearly all species are terrestrial in habit. Here are included 

 the larger part of the game birds of the world. By far the 

 best known of the group is our domestic fowl, of many races, 

 all of which are descended from the jungle fowl (Gal'lus, Figs. 

 201, 202) of India, Sumatra, Celebes, and the Philippines. 



The best known of the grouse in the eastern United 

 States is the ruffed grouse (Bona'sa umbel'lus), usually, but 

 wrongly, called "partridge" in New England. It is about 

 the size of the domestic fowl, and has pronounced black 

 ruffs on the sides of the neck. The male produces a loud 

 drumming sound by beating the air rapidly with the wings. 



Fig. 201. Photograph of male and female 

 jungle fowl 



