TETRAUNID.E — THE aRUUSE. 



449 



ulars. Feathers of the jugulum, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts with broad medial 

 streaks of light ochraceous, and black spots on the webs ; jugulum with a strong 

 buff tinge. Secondaries and wing-coverts strongly mottled transversel}'. Head dingy 

 buff, the upper part more rusty ; a post-ocular or auricular dusky patch, and a tuft of 

 dusky feathers on the vertex. Chick. Above light rufous, beneath rusty-white; uniform 

 above and below ; a dusky post-ocular streak, inclining downwards across the auricular?. 

 Bill whitish. 



Hae. Eastern Province of North America ; in the northeastern portions (New Eng- 

 land, Labrador) and Alleghany Mountains inclining toward var. %imhellus in having a 

 gray tail. 



Habits. This well-known bird — the common Birch Partridge of the 

 British Provinces, the Partridge of New England and the West, and the 

 Pheasant of the Middle States — is found tlu'oughout the wooded portions of 

 eastern North America, from Georgia to Nova Scotia, and from the Atlantic 

 to the Eocky Mountains. Richardson, in his description of its habits in the 

 Fauna Boreali-Americana, states that lie met with it as far north as the 56th 

 parallel of latitude, and mentions, in a note, that Mr. Drunimond procured 

 specimens ou the sources of the Peace Eiver, in the valley of the Eocky 

 Mountains, in no wise different from those taken on the Saskatchewan. On 



Eonasa umhellus. 



the banks of the latter river it was found very plentiful, frequenting the horse- 

 paths and the cleared spaces about the forts. In winter, when the grotmd was 

 covered w'ith snow% it occurred in flocks of ten or twelve, perching on trees. 

 These flocks could be approached without difficulty, and several birds succes- 

 sively shot from the same tree without exciting the alarm of the survivors, if 

 the lowest were shot first. When disturbed, like most Grouse they flew off 

 very swiftly, with a loud whirring sound, and to a considerable distance before 

 alighting. The male in spring makes a very singular loud noise, resem- 

 bling the quick roll of a drum, which is produced by rapid strokes of the 

 vol.. ni. 57 



