North American Birds I'.ggs. 



145 



308. Sharp-tailed Grouse. Prdiarrtrx iihusiaiuihis. 



Kange. — Interior of British Americii, from the Fnited States boundary 

 northwest to the Yukon. 



Sharp-tailed (Jrouse are simihu- in form to the Prairie Hen, hut are somewhat 

 smaller and very much lighter in color, being 

 nearly white below, with arrowhead markings 

 on the breast and Hanks. This species is very 

 abundant in Manitol)a and especially so on the 

 plains west of Hudson Bay. Their nests are 

 generally concealed untler a thicket or a large 

 tuft of grass, and are lined with grasses and 

 feathers. They lay from six to fifteen eggs of a 

 drab color, very minutely specked all over with 

 brown. Size 1.70 x 1.25. Data. — (^uill Lake, 

 Saskatchewan, N. W. T. Nest a depression on 

 the ground, lined with grass and feathers. Col- 

 lector, Chris Forge. [lUiffy drab.] 



308a. Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse. Pcdioecetes phasianellus coin nihidinix. 



Range. — Northwestern United States and British Columbia to central Alaska. 

 Both the nesting hai)its and eggs of this variety are the same as the last, with 

 which species, the birds gradually intergrade as their ranges approach. 



308b. Frairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. Palioerctes phasianellu>< rainjjr.stri.s. 



Range.— Plains of the United States from the Mississippi to the Rockies. 

 This sub-species shades directly into the two preceding where their ranges meet, 

 and only birds from the extreme parts of the range of each show any markecl 

 differences. The nesting habits and eggs of all three are not to be distinguished. 



309. Sage Grouse. Ceiifrorcrrus uroph((S)ai)>is. 



Pale greenish drab, 

 greenish drab color, spotted witli brown. 



11 



Range. — Sage plains of the Rocky 

 ^Mountain region from British Colum- 

 bia to New Mexico, and from Califor- 

 nia to Dakota. This handsome bird 

 is the largest of the American Grouse, 

 being about 30 inches long (the hen 

 bird is about six inches shorter). It 

 may easily be recognized by its large 

 size, its peculiar graduated tail with 

 extremely sharply pointed feathers, 

 and the black belly and throat. Their 

 nests are hollows scratched out in the 

 sand, under the sage bushes, gener- 

 ally with no lining. The nesting 

 season is during April and May, thej' 

 laying from six to twelve eggs of a 

 Size LM5 x 1.50. 



