Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 441 



Genus PEDICECETES Baiid. 



145. Pedioecetes phasianellus campestris (Ridgw.). 

 Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. 



Distr.: Prairies east of Rocky Mountains, to Illinois and Wiscon- 

 sin, and from Manitoba south to New Mexico. 



Adult male : No noticeable tufts of feathers on sides of the neck, as 

 in the Prairie Hen; middle tail feathers, about an inch longer than 

 the others; back and upper parts, marked with tawny buff and black, 

 the feathers, irregularly barred; wnng coverts, spotted with white; 

 outer webs of primaries, barred with white, the first with buffy white; 

 throat, pale buff; feathers on the breast marked with white, centres 

 and edges with arrow shaped markings of dark brown; belly, white, 

 with a few brown marks; sides of body, rufous, black and white; 

 axillars, white. 



Adult female : Similar, but smaller and somewhat lighter. 



Length, about 17 ; wing, 8 to 9; bill (from end of nostril), .50. 



The Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse was formerly not uncommon in 

 northern Illinois and Wisconsin. It still occurs in northwestern Wis- 

 consin, but none have been observed in Illinois for many years. 



Mr. E. W. Nelson writes (Birds N. E. Illinois, 1876, p. 121): 

 "The last record of its occurrence in this vicinity is furnished by my 

 friend, Mr. L. H. Douglass, who informs me that in the fall of 1863 or 

 1864, while two gentlemen were shooting Prairie Chickens near Wau- 

 kegan, they found and secured a covey of these birds numbering four- 

 teen individuals. They had in all probability been raised in the 

 immediate vicinity." Kennicott gives it as formerly not uncommon 

 in Cook Co., 111. 



In Wisconsin, according to F. H. King (Geology of Wisconsin, 1883, 

 p. 591), it was "Resident from Berlin northward and was abundant in 

 the vicinity of Lake Flambeau, in October, 1877." According to 

 Kumlien and Hollister: "A few sharp-tails were found about Stevens 

 Point in 1898 and scattered records have been received from Markesan 

 and other points in the north central part of the state." (Birds of 

 Wisconsin, 1903, p. 58.) 



The nest is placed on the ground. The eggs are from 12 to 14 in 

 number, pale olive buff or pale buff in color, and measure about 1.70 

 X 1.20 inches. 



