150 Birds of Colorado 



little dried grass, a few white feathers from the breast 

 of the female and sometimes a few leaves ; the eggs, 

 usually eight in number, are oval and buff, of a light 

 creamy or darker reddish shade ; the markings are few 

 and well defined as a rule, and are of a darker reddish- 

 brown ; in size they average 1*70 x r20. Trippe's 

 nest contaraing eight eggs was taken on June 28th. 

 Evan Lewis's at the same place, of only four eggs in 

 which incubation had commenced, on June 19th ; while 

 Wilson's nest from the San Juan mountains, containing 

 five or six nearly fresh eggs, was not taken till July 15th. 

 The male does not apparently take part in incubation, 

 nor is a second brood raised. 



Genus TYMPANUCHUS. 



Head slightly crested ; neck with two long tufts of feathers covering 

 a bare yellow tympanum or wattle capable of distention, like a small 

 half-orange ; tail short, graduated, less than half the wing, of eighteen 

 feathers, rather stiff and truncated ; tarsus feathered in front and at the 

 sides ; toes bare and webbed at the base. 



This genus contains three species and one additional subspecies, 

 and is practically confined to the United States. The Lesser Prairie 

 Chicken (T. pallidicinctus) should be looked for in south-east Colorado. 

 It occurs in south-west Kansas and Oklahoma. It is smaller — 

 wing less than 8-5 — and paler and more bleached than the 

 common form. 



Prairie Chicken. Tympanuchus americaniis. 



A.O.U. CheckUst no 305 — Colorado Records — Drew 85, p. 17 ; 

 Morrison 89, p. 181 ; Cooke 97, pp. 159, 202 ; Horsey & Rockwell 09, 

 p. 116. 



Description. — Male — Above variegated with black, brown, tawny 

 and white ; the latter chiefly on the wing, the markings mostly in 

 irregular bands ; below paler, more regularly banded, chiefly white 

 and brown, throat pale yellowish, sometimes speckled with darker ; 

 primaries and tail-feathers nearly plain brown ; tail narrowly ti]iped 

 with white ; a pair of neck-tufts of several long, stiff feathers, dusky 

 and tawny, about 3 -5 in. long ; iris brown, bill dark brown, feet 

 yellowish. Length 18'5 ; wing 9-0 ; tail 3-5 ; culmen -7 ; tarsus 1-85. 



