PEDICECETES PHASIANELLUS VAR. COLUMBIANUS. 415 



The first feathers — those of the wings — are light brown, with broken 

 black bars, and strong shaft-lines of pure white, as well as edging of 

 the same. The tail sprouts next. Then some brown feathers appear on 

 the crown. Next, two broad strips of white feathers, with circular 

 brown spots, appear on each side of the breast, coalescing and gradually 

 extending down the side ; meanwhile the scapular and dorsal feathers 

 appear, and the feathering finishes with the neck, when the birds are 

 about one-third grown. With the final disappearance of the down the 

 birds are in a plumage which differs materially from that of the adults, 

 and may be thus described: Crown, warm rich brown, variegated with 

 black. White shaft-lines of the upper plumage i^ersistent, making 

 sharp, white, lengthwise stripes, which, together with a black area on 

 each feather, contrast with the fine gray and brown mottling of the 

 upper parts. Wing-coverts and inner quills somewhat like the back, on 

 their outer webs at least, but with whitish spots along the edge. Sev- 

 eral inner tiul-feathers with a sliaft-line of white, and otherwise mottled 

 blackish and brown. Lower throat and breast with a buffy suffusion, 

 and with numberless dark brown spots; sides, similar, but the markings 

 lengthened into streaks. Bill, brown above, light colored below. 



This plumage lasts through the greater part of September, and is one 

 of several distinctive evidences of immaturity. Sometime during this 

 month a moult occurs, and the perfect plumage of the fall and winter 

 is gained with its completion. By the time of the moult the birds are 

 well grown — sometimes full grown — and delicate for table; but it is 

 hardly fair to shoot them before the change is completed, i hough they 

 tly well enough, they lack spirit and vigor, drop at a touch of small shot, 

 and, altogether, try the qualities of the sportsman little more than gun- 

 ning in a hen-yard would. They should be let alone till they are 

 stronger, warier, and clothed in the fresh, crisp plumage they are about 

 to assume, and which, when completed, makes a bird like this: 



Nech without obviously peculiar feathers, like those of either of the 

 Pinnated or Buffed Grouse or Sage Cock, but with a hidden, definitely 

 circumscribed space on each side of reddish, vascular, and distensible 

 skin, constituting an undeveloped tympanum, over which lies a lateral 

 series of sliglitly enlarged feathers. Head lightly crested, tiie longest 

 feathers of the crown falling on the occiput; a crescentic naked patch 

 over each eye of numerous orange or chrome-yellow fringe-like i)ro- 

 cesses, in several parallel curved rows. Bill and wings of an ordinary 

 gallinaceous character. Feet full-feathered to between the bases of the 

 toes, with long, hair like plumage reaching to or beyond the end of the 

 hind claw. Toes above with one row of broad, transverse scutella, a 

 row on each side of smaller rounded scales, and a conspicuous fringe of 

 horny processes; heloic, bossed and scabrous. Tail nnxvAi shorter than 

 the wings, normally of eighteen true rectrices, of which the central pair 

 are soft, parallel-edged, and square-tip[)ed, projecting an inch or two 

 beyond the next pair; the rest rapidly graduated, sliflish, and crisp 

 (making a creaking sound when rubbed together), and, though at first 

 about straight-edged, soon becoming club shaped (with a constriction 

 near the apex) by nuitual attrition, ibexes similar, but cock rather 

 largei- and (uuker than the hen, with more i)rominent supraciliary 

 l»ai>illa'. Aryu////, 18 or LM) inches; extent, 1*4 to oO ; wing, S to !>; mid- 

 dle tail-feathers, A to G; shortest tail-feathers (outermost), about 1^; 

 tarsi, 2 inches ; middle toe and claw, about the same ; culmon of bill, 

 al)<)ut 5 ; gai)e of bill, I to 1^ ; depth of bill at base, A, or rather less. 

 Colors : Upper parts closely and pretty evenly variegated with black- 

 ish-brown, reddish-brown, and grayish-brown, the pattern smallest ou 



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