TETRA ONID^ — TETBA ONINJE : GROUSE. 



583 



Fig. 399. — Foot of Prairie Hen, nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) 



overlap to some extent. Fonncrly rauged iu all the prairie of Minnesota, Michigan, and Iowa, 

 but is pushed westward by the graiu-ticlds — the same c;irryiug cupido along. Eggs 5-10-12- 

 13, iu Juue; grayish-olive or drab-colored, uniformly dotted with brown points, rarely larger 

 than a pin-head; always quite dilierent from those oi cupido ; 1.60 to 1.80 long by 1.20 to 1.30 

 broad : ;ivcrago 1. 75X1-25. A line game and table bird, in all respects like cupido. 

 207. CUPIDO XIA. (Name derived from cjtpiffo, which see below.) Pin-neck Grouse. Neck 

 with a peculiar tuft on each side of loose, lengthened, acuminate feathers, like little wings., 

 beneath which is 

 a circular patch of 

 bare, yellow skin, 

 capable of great 

 distension, like tlu 

 half of a small or- 

 ange. Head with 

 a slight soft crest. 

 Tarsi scant-feath- 

 ered to the toes in 

 front and on sides, 



bare on a strip behind ; toes extensively webbed at base. Tail short, rounded, of 18 broad 

 stiffish feathers, with obtusely rounded ends. Sexes nearly alike in size, form, and color; 

 plumage below baiTed transversely. One species, 2 varieties, of prairie, perfectly terrestrial. 



Analysis of Varieties. 

 The Common bird. Tarsal feathers hiding the bare strip. Dark bars above black, and broad ; top oi 



head mostly blackish cujiido !'a 



Texas bird. Tarsi very scant-feathered, the bare strip exposed. Bark bars above brown and narrow ; 



top of head little blackish paUidicinctus 5&i 



563. C. cupi'do. (The tufts on the neck likened to conventional "cupid's wings." Figs. 399, 400.) 



Pinnated Grouse. 

 Prairie Hen. $ 9 : 

 Above, variegated with 

 black, brown, tawny, 

 or ochrey, and white, 

 the latter especially 

 on the wings; below, 

 pretty regularly barred 

 with dark brown, 

 white, and ta\vny ; 

 throat tawny, a little 

 speckled, or not; vent 

 and erissum mostly 

 white; quills fuscous, 

 with white spots on 

 the outer webs; tail 

 fuscous, with narrow 

 or imperfect white or 

 tawny bars and tips; 

 sexes alike in color, 

 but 9 smaller, with shorter neck tufts. Length 16.00-18.00 ; extent about 28.00 ; wing 

 8.00-9.00 ; tail about 4.50 ; tarsus rather over, middle toe and claw rather under, 2.00 ; neck- 

 tufts 2.00-3.50 inches long. This well-known bird formerly ranged across the United States, 





Fig. 400. — Prairie Hen, 



