richaedson's grouse 99 



the fall this specialized character is largely lost, the skin loses most of its 

 corrugations but still retains a yellow color. 



In Richardson's Grouse and its sub-species flemingi very little change from 

 normal in the character of the neck-skin occurs in the breeding season, the 

 exterior is flesh-colored tinged with purple, deepening to purple-red when 

 temporarily surcharged with blood. 



Charles de B. Green (1928) has noticed a curious fluttering habit 

 of the male grouse, which he describes as follows : 



Years afterward I saw it done for the first time in my experience. I was lying 

 in bed looking out of the door at a female grouse walking on the ground some 

 20 yards away. Near her was a small pine, the lowest branch of which was 

 about 10 feet from the ground. On this branch was a male bird and, just as 

 I caught a glimpse of him, he fell as straight as a string to the ground, 

 tumbling over as he came, in what looked like a ball of feathers. This took 

 only a second or two, but as he fell the fluttering sound was made. Then he 

 made short runs at the female, stopping abruptly each time he got near, and 

 giving one hoot. This running and hooting went on until they were lost to 

 view, but there was no more fluttering. 



In the last few years, while in the sheep business, it has been my custom 

 in March to be with the flock before dawn. Every day for a month this very 

 same fluttering is the first sound to be heard in the dusk, before things are at 

 all clearly seen at 50 yards away. In fact, before the faintest sign of daylight, 

 from all around comes in fluttering sound. Only once was I able to see the 

 bird : I was watching a grouse about 30 or 40 yards away in the growing light, 

 when he sprang about 3 feet into the air, turned over, and came down with 

 the fluttering sound on the same spot from which he sprang. 



Nesting. — Anthony (1903) writes: 



A few birds undoubtedly remain and nest throughout the timbered region of 

 Powder River Mountains, but the percentage is small indeed compared with 

 those that nest on the bare sage plains along Powder and Burnt Rivers. Many 

 of the nests are placed in the shelter of the scattered growth of chokecherry, 

 aspen, or Cottonwood that fringes the water courses tributary to the river ; and 

 a few of these nests may produce young that reach maturity, but fully as many 

 birds lay in the shelter of a bare rock, or scanty sage brush in the open plain, 

 in company with Sage Grouse ; and fortunate indeed is the bird, nesting in such 

 location, that raises its young. In a circuit of not over 6 miles from my camp 

 on Powder River the past May, were ranged not less than 20,000 sheep which 

 tramped out the nests so completely, that, while finding dozens of broken nests, 

 I saw not one that had not been destroyed, of either Richardson's or Sage 

 Grouse, and only one young bird. Nevertheless, many of them do escape, as 

 their numbers testify, although I am told, on good authority, that there are very 

 few in comparison with their former numbers. 



Skinner (1927) says that, in Yellowstone Park, "nesting takes 

 place in May, and the nests are usually placed at the foot of forest 

 trees at any altitude from 6,300 to 8,000 feet, and perhaps even 

 above the last-named height. The Richardson's nests are shallow 

 depressions lined with grass, pine needles and leaves, and contain 

 from seven to ten creamy eggs speckled and blotched with brown, 



