730 



S YS TEMA TIC S YNOPSIS. — GA LL IN.E — ALEC TOR OP ODES. 



word " pheasant" (derived from the name of the river Phasis in Colchis) belongs to certain 

 Olii W i^vVX Fhasiamdce (see above; and fig. 487), havin:,' no indigenous representatives in 



America. But early set- 

 tlers of this country ap- 

 [)lied it to the Ruffed 

 CJ rouse, JBonasa umbellus 



— and " pheasant " is the 

 Ruffed Grouse called to 

 this day by the common 

 [icople of the Middle and 

 Southern States, after the 

 bad example set by Ed- 

 wards, who originally 

 named it "Pheasant from 

 Pennsylvania" iu 1754. 

 (2) "Partridge" is an 

 old English word, spe- 

 cifically designating the 

 English Perdix cinerea, 

 then enlarged in meaning 

 to cover all the family 

 I'erdicidce (see beyond j. 

 In the Northern States, 

 both the Spruce Grouse, 

 Canachites canadensis, 

 and the Ruffed Grouse, 

 are commonly called 

 "partridge." In the Mid- 

 dle and Southern States 



— wherever the Ruffed 

 Grouse is called " pheas- 

 ant '■ — the Bob-white, 

 Colinus virginianus, is 



called " partridge." (3) The term "quail" is specially applicable to the European Migratory 

 or Messina Quail, Coturnix dactylisonans or C. coturnix. But this resembles our Bob-white 

 not distantly, causing the latter to be called "quail" in the sections where the Ruffed and 

 Spruce Grouse are called " partridge; " and in the Southwest, the species of Callipepla, Lo-^ 

 phortyx, Oreortyx, and Cyrtonyx are universally called "quail." 



Fig. 492. —Florida Wild Turkey. 

 D. G. Elliot.) 



(From " Game Birds of North America,' 



Family TETRAONID^ : Grouse. 



Head completely feathered, excepting, usually, a naked strip of skin over eye. Nasal 

 fossae densely feathered. Tarsi more or less perfectly feathered, the feathering sometimes ex- 

 tending on toes to claws ; toes, when naked, with horny fringe-like processes, or pectinations. 

 No spurs ever developed. Tail variable in shape, but never folded, nor very long, of 16-20, 

 rarely 22, feathers. Sides of neck frequently with lengthened or otherwise modified feathers, 

 or a bare distensible skin, or both. Plumage for the most part of subdued coloration, in which 

 the browns and grays prevail ; sometimes black or white, never brilliant, as in most Phasia- 

 nidce. Sexes similar or subsimilar ; monogamy the rule. Nest slight or none, on the ground. 



