TKTKAONID.E — THE GROUSE — PEDICECETES. 533 



wortliy, however, of an attempt at naturalization in the h>wer and western 

 districts. From what I have seen of tlieir resorts and habits along tlie 

 Upper Columbia, I see no reason wliy they cannot flourisli in many of tlie 

 valleys west of the Sierra Ne\'ada, unless tliere is some unknown agent fatal 

 to them either when young or full grown, such as the pecidiarities of the 

 climate or some poisonous plant or seed which they eat. Their eggs might, 

 at any rate, be easily obtained and hatched under a hen for trial. 



According to Dr. Newberry, the prairie-chicken is first met with in Cali- 

 fornia, near Canoe Creek, about fifty miles northeast of Fort Eeading, on the 

 east side of the Sierra Nevada. Thence they are abundant north and east- 

 ward, and I think extend south as far as lat. 39°, though this is somewhat 

 uncertain. I have not lieard of them in the southeastern parts of California, 

 though there are tracts apparently suited for them, sucli as Owen's Valley. 

 Towards the Coluniliia tliey are numerous in all tlie grassy prairies about 

 the upper part of the ri\er east of the Cascade Eange. It has been lately 

 ascertained that their range to the north ends about lat. 49° ; Mr. Kennicott 

 having obtained specimens from Britisli America which prove different, and 

 turn out to be the true T. jihasicmclhis of Linnaeus, though described also as 

 P. Kennicottii by Suckley. It is a resident species throughout aU its range, 

 or only descends from the high lands to the warmer' valleys in the cold 

 months. 



I have seen tlie nest of this species near the Upper Missouri Paver in 

 ]\Iay. It is a mere cavity in the grass under a log or buish, lined with a few 

 feathers ; the eggs are about twelve, white, obscurely spotted with brownish. 

 In the spring the male is said by Nuttall to utter a shrill but rather feeble 

 crowing ; and at all times when started they have a loud cry of kii]:-lxtik-l-iilc, 

 which assists tlie winning of their wings and their unexpected appearance 

 ill tlirowing the inexperienced sportsman off his guard. 



In the autumn they often congregate aliout favorite spots in great num- 

 bers, and where not much hunted furnish excellent sport for a cool and 

 quick shot. They usually scatter in the morning among the long grass in 

 the neighborhood of thickets, and lie so close as to be almost trodden under 

 foot before they fly, when they rise with a few whirring flaps of the wing to 

 a height of about six feet, and then sail off direct for a hundred yards or 

 more, unless they are mucli hunted, when tliey make for the nearest thicket. 

 Sometimes, when unused to the hunter's devices, they merely fly into a low 

 tree, and, as if perfectly safe there, look down coolly while several are suc- 

 cessively shot around tlieni, the only precaution being to shoot the lowest 

 first, so that their fall may not alarm tlie others. 



In frosty and snowy weatlier they often sun themselves in the morn- 

 ing on the trees, and li\"e much in winter on the liuds of the alder, poplar, 

 etc. 



