SUBFAMILY TETRAONIN^, GROUSE. 393 



of the great district under consideration. This is the familiar Eastern 

 Partridge, " Quail," or " Bob White," as it is variously termed. Xone of 

 the several elegant and interesting Partridges of the southwest have 

 been traced even to the southern borders of the Missouri region. We 

 may allude to them in this connection. First, we have two species of 

 the genus Lophortijx, L. calif orniciis, and L. yamheli, of California, Ari- 

 zona, New Mexico, and portions of Texas, with an elegant helmet-like 

 crest of recurved feathers. Secondly, the Mountain Partridge of Cali- 

 fornia ( Oreortyx jnctns), with a long, slender, flowing crest. Thirdly, the 

 Scaled or Blue Partridge {Calllpepla sqttamata), so called from a curious 

 appearance of the plumage ; and fourthly, the Masseua Partridge [Cyrto- 

 nyx massena), remarkable for the difference between its sexes in colora- 

 tion, and the singular harlequin markings of the male. These are fully 

 noticed beyond. 



Tbe family Tetraonidcc, as defined in the Key, p. 232, embraces two 

 American subfamilies — the Tetraoniruv or true Grouse, aud the Odonto- 

 phorinw, which include all the American Partridges. 



Subfamily Tetraonin^ : Grouse. 



The Grouse will be immediately distinguished from the Partridges by 

 the more or less complete feathering of the legs and nostrils, which, in 

 the Partridges, are naked and scaly ; by a more or less evident strip of 

 naked, pimply skin over the eye ; by a row of fringe-like scales on the 

 side of the toes ; and usually, by the presence on each side of the neck 

 of a tuft of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers, or a patch of 

 naked distensible skin, or both of these. I call attention, below, to the 

 fact that the Sharp-tailed Grouse (Pedioecetes phafiianellus) has fairly 

 developed air-sacs on the neck, though this has usually been overlooked. 



The true Grouse, or Tetraonhuc, are confined to the Northern Hemis- 

 phere, and reach their highest development as a group, in number and 

 variety of forms, in North America, our species being singularly diverse 

 in the details of structure. All the American forms are noticed in these 

 pages, beyond. The Old World forms are the following : The Great 

 Capercailzie, or Cock-of-the- Woods {Tetrao urogallufi), which finds its 

 analogue in our Sage Cock {Ccntrocerciis m'ophasianus)^ though structur- 

 ally nearer our species of Tetrao; the Black Cock of Europe {Tetrao 

 tetrix), with curiously curled tail-feathers, which may be considered to 

 represent our Dusky Grouse [Tetrao ohscurns); the Siberian Tetrao falci- 

 penniti, strict analogue of our S])ruce Grouse (T. (Yf?/^/r/(';/.s/.s); the Honasa 

 hetiilma of Europe and Asia, equally near our Kufied Grouse ; and two 

 or three species of Ptarmigan (L«^oj>m.s), very closely allied to, or identi- 

 cal with, our own. 



Any adult Grouse of our country may be readily referred to its proper 

 genus by the ibllowing table of characters : 



C'KNT!{0(Ki!crs. Tail ('(lualing or exc(H'(liii<j tlio wiiij^ in loTi;j;tli. \vo(ltjp-sli;'i>e(l, of 

 twenty . still, uarrowly aciiininate fcatluiis; neck with niniicions lirislly lilanunts, ."i 

 jiatcli of curious scaly tcatlicrs, and a lar;;c naked si)acc. Tarsi fully fealliered; toes 

 naked. .Size of full j^rown cocks, twol'ect or more in len<j;tli ; tail a loot lon^. 



Pr.l>i()i:c;i:TKS. Tail slioiter than the wing, wed<fe-sha])ed, of eighteen narrowed, 

 slillish feathers, of which the central jtair exceed the rest by an inch or more. No 

 evidently peculiar feathers on side of neck ; bare space not consi)icuotis. Tarsi fe:ith- 

 ered to between the roots of the toes.* Markings of under paits lengthwise. 



Cfl'iDoMA. Tail much shorterthan thewing. rounded, of eigliteen broail, (hit feuth- 

 CYti. Suh'sof neck with luflsof a few lengthened, narrowed leathers, like little wings, 

 l)en«-ath which is a conspicuous distensible naked skin. Tar.^i barely or not f«'athered 

 to the toes. Markings of under parts crosswise. 



* In the arctic variety the feathers of the legs are sometimes so long and thick as to 

 bide the toes, almost as in the genus LiKjuptta. 



