TETRA ONID^ — TETIiA ONIN^ : GROUSE. 681 



sterile sage-bush plains of the West ; an abundant and characteristic species of those forbidding 

 regions, beginning with the Eastern slopes and foot-hills of the R. Mts., South into New 

 Mexico and Arizona, sparingly N. to 49° or slightly further, iu the Milk River region. Not in 

 Dakota east of the Coteau, or iu the Missouri Basin much below the Yellowstone country. 

 Its centre of abundance is the artemisia tracts of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, 

 Eastern Califoruia, and Oregon. It straggles through the sage-bush, but I have seen packs of 

 hundreds in the fall. In the breeding season its sonorous hullaballoo resounds on every hand 

 where the birds are numerous. The flesh is edible or not, "as you like it." The behavior 

 towards man varies with circumstances ; sometimes the birds may almost be knocked over with 

 a stick, at others it is diflicult to get a shot. In walking, the tail is somewhat elevated, and 

 swings sideways with each step. The flight is extremely vigorous, and at times greatly pro- 

 tracted, with wings so widely expanded that the tips of the primaries stand apart ; the course 

 rapid and steady when the bird is once fairly on wiug, accomplished with a succession of quick 

 energetic wing-beats, alternating with sailing with stiffly motionless wings until the impulse 

 is spent. From the natui-e of its resorts the bird is exclusively terrestrial. The egg is nar- 

 rower and more pointed than that of any other grouse of our country, measuring ft-om 2.05 to 

 2.25 in length by 1.50-1.60 iu breadth; grayish or greenish-drab color, thickly speckled with 

 chocolate-brown, mostly in minute dots evenly distributed, occasionally with well-defined spots 

 up to the size of a split pea, tending to circular shape. 

 306. PEDICE'CETES. (Gr. nebiov, pedion, a plain; oheTrjs, oiketes, an inhabitant.) PiN-TAlL 

 Gkouse. Neck without obviously peculiar feathers, like those either of the pinnated or 

 rufl'ed 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 slightly enlarged feathers. Head lightly crested, the longest feathers of 

 the crown falling on the occiput ; a crescentic naked patch over each eye of numerous orange 

 or chrome-yellow fringe-like processes, in several parallel curved rows. 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; below, bossed and scabrous. 

 Tail much shorter than the wings, normally of 18 true rectrices, of which the central pair are 

 soft, parallel- edged and square-tipped, projecting an inch or two beyond the next pair; the 

 rest rapidly graduated, stiffish, and crisp (making a creaking sound when rubbed together) ; 

 at first about straight-edged, soon becoming club-shaped (with a constrictit>n near the apex) 

 by mutual attrition. Sexes similar, but cock rather larger and darker than the hen, with more 

 prominent supraciliary papillae. One species, of two varieties, of prairie, perfectly terrestrial. 



Analysis of Varieties. 

 Northern Sharp-tailed Grouse. The markings black, white and dark browii, with little or no tawnj-; 

 spots on the under parts numerous, blackish, V-shaped; throat white, speckled. (Arctic America.) 



pbnKianellus 561 

 Common Sharp-tailed Grouse. The markings black, white, and especially tawny ; below, the spots fewer, 

 brown, U-shaped; throat buflf. (U. S. and adjoining British Province.) columbianus 562 



561. P. phasianel'Ius. (Diminutive of Lat. p7iasiam<s, a pheasant.) Northern Sharp-tailed 

 Grouse. As above, in comparison with the ordinary bird next described. Very dark-colored, 

 in blackish and white variegation, with little buft', even in the fall. The markings below 

 heavier, in sharper, more arrow-headed shape, quite blackish. The feet very heavily feathered, 

 almost like a ptarmigan's. Interior of British America, E. to Hudson's Bay, N. and W. to 

 the Yukon, southward shading directly into the U. S. bird, before reaching 49°. This is the 

 true Tetrao phasianellus — a name commonly applied to the next variety. 



562. P. p. columbia'aus. (Of the Columbia River. Fig. 398.) Common Sharp-tailed Grouse. 

 Prairie Chicken of the Northwest. Adult ^ $ : Upper parts closely and pretty evenly 



