134 PHEASANTS AND TURKEYS 



When much hunted the grouse become as waiy as any game birds, 

 but in a few far-away corners of their range they are still numer- 

 ous. To the sportsman used to the quick whirr of the pinnated and 

 sharp-tailed grouse the heavy roar and steady flight of a magnificent 

 black-breasted long-tailed old sage cock offers far too easy a target, 

 and the birds soon become scarce when the country is settled. 



ConsideriDg their quiet dispositions and large size it seems strange 

 that they have never been domesticated. The young birds are as 

 delicious as auy grouse, and while the old ones are often flavored 

 with sage, a wholesome wormwood bitter, they can usually be cooked 

 so that the flavor will not be noticed. Vernon Bailey. 



Mr. Frank Bond explains the fact that the chest feathers of the 

 grouse become worn off during the breeding season. He says : 

 "During the months of April and May the sage cocks are usually 

 found in small flocks of a half dozen or more, stalking about with 

 tails erect and spread after the manner of the strutting turkey cock. 

 . . . Instead of dragging its wings upon the ground the sage cock 

 will enormously inflate the air sacs of the neck until the whole neck 

 and breast is balloon -like in appearance, then stooping forward almost 

 the entire weight of the body is thrown upon the distended portion 

 and the bird slides along on the bare ground or short grass for some 

 distance, the performance being concluded by the expulsion of the 

 air from the sacs, with a variety of chuckling, cackling, or rum- 

 bling sounds. This performance is continued probably daily during 

 the pairing and nesting season, and of course the feathers are worn 

 away by the constant friction." {The Auk, xvii. 325.) 



FAMILY PHASIANIDiE: PHEASANTS AND 

 TURKEYS. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



1. Head naked, skin wrinkled and warted . . . . Meleagris, p. 186. 

 r. Head feathered, except sometimes around eye. 



2. Head not crested Phasianus, p.* 134. 



2'. Head conspicuoixsly crested. 



3. Neck with conspicuous erectile ruff . Chrysolophus, p. 135. 

 3. Neck without ruff Gennaeus, p. 135. 



GENUS PHASIANUS. 



General Characters. — Head not crested ; male with brilliant metallic 

 colors and handsome markings, tail leng-thened, graduated, and vaulted, 

 the feathers usually tapering- to a point. Female much smaller and 

 brownish, with upper parts more or less mottled, spotted, and marked with 

 dusky. 



A dozen or more pheasants have been introduced into the United 

 States, but the ring-necked is the only one that has thus far gained 

 a foothold in the west. 



