Dot 



SCRATCHING BIRDS — GALLIXiE. 



Centrocercus urophasianus, BdXArARXE. 

 THE SAGE-COCK; COCK OF THE PLAINS. 



Tetrao urophasianus, Bonaparte, Zool. Jour. III. Jan. 1828, 214. In. Am. Oni. III. 1830; 

 pi. xxi. f. 1. — WiLSOX, Ilhis. 18.31 ; pi. 26, 27. — Nl-ttall, Man. I. 1832, 656.— 

 AuDUBOX, Orn. Bio-. IV. 1838, 503 ; pi. 371. Ib. Birds Amcr. V. 1842, lOG ; pi. 297. 

 — Newberry, ZooI. Cal. and Or. lioutc, Kt'p. P. R. R. Surv. VI. iv. 18.57, 9.5.— JIaxi- 

 MiLIAX, Cab. Jour. 1858, 431. — Tdrao {Ceittrocercus) urophasianus, Swaixsox, F. Bor. 

 Amcr. II. 1831, 358 ; pi. Iviii. — Centrocercus urophasianus, Baird, P. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 

 024.- Cooper and Sucklev, XII. iii. Zool. of W. T. 222. 



Sp. Cii.vr. Tail ft'atlKT.s twenty. Above varied with blaek and brownish-yellow ; 

 coverts having all the feathers sti'eaki'd with the latter. Beneath black ; the breast 

 white, the upper leathers with spiny shafts, the lower streaked with black ; tail coverts 



with white tips; the sides also with much white. Lenrrth, 2!1.00 ; extent, 42.00 ; wing, 

 12.00 ; tail, 11.50. Iris of adult yellow, of young brown ; bill and toes blackish. 



Hal). Sage plains of the northwest, to Eastern California. Sontli to Lower California? 



Altliouoh tlie largest and ino.st beaut iful of American groti.se, this species 

 has not been mnch noticetl as a game-hird, on account of the barren, unin- 

 habited regions it frequents, and also from the bitterness of its flesli, caused 

 by feeding on the "wild sage" (Artemisia). It is said, however, tliat the 



