736 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — GA LLINJE — ALECTOROPODES. 



C. urophasia'nus. (Gr. ovpa, oura, tail ; (fiaa-iavos, phasianos, a pheasant.) Sage Cock. 

 Sage Hen. Cock of the Plains. Largest of American Grouse. Full-grown cock 2-2^ 

 feet long ; extent of wings 3 feet or more ; wing and tail about a foot ; vA^eight upward of 4 

 pounds — up to 8 pounds. Hen a third smaller, weighing 3-5 pounds. Above, varied with 

 black, gray, brown, and buff; below, chiefly white, with a large squarish black area on belly. 

 To describe the peculiar neck-feathering of the old cock more particularly : On each side is a 

 patch of feathers, meeting in front, with extremely stiff bases, prolonged into hair-like fila- 

 ments about 3.00 in length ; with the wearing away of these feathers in the peculiar actions 

 of the bird in pairing-time, their hard horny bases are left, forming the " fish -scales " above 

 said. In front of these peculiar feathers is the naked tympanum, capable of enormous inflation 

 under amatory excitement. Above them is a tuft of down-feathers, covered with a set of long 

 soft filamentous plumes corresponding to the ruff of Bonasa. Many breast-feathers resemble 

 the scaly ones of the neck, and are commonly found worn to a bristly " thread-bare " state. 

 Scaly bases of these feathers soiled white ; thready ends blackish ; fluffy feathers snowy-white, 

 like wool, the longer overlying filamentous plumes glossy black. Chin and throat blackish, 

 speckled with white ends of the feathers, usually presenting a definite white half-collar. Lin- 

 ing of wings white. Hen: Length about 21.00; wing 10.50; tail 7.00-8.50, of the same 

 general character as the cock's, but softer, shorter, less cuneate, with more rapidly tapering 

 feathers. A small tympanum, but no obviously peculiar feathers on neck. Coloration quite 

 like that of the cock, excepting that the throat is not black. Pullet: No peculiar neck- 

 feathers ; tail beginning to show its special form ; general coloration of the hen. Before the 

 September moult, all feathers of upper parts with sharp white hammer-headed shaft-lines, and 

 circular spotting of feathers of breast. Sooty belly-patch showing with first feathering. Chick 

 in down altogether different from the dingy yellow chick of Pedioecetes ; below grayish-white, 

 above grayish -brown mottled with black ; bill black. This remarkable bird, quite a Roland 

 for the Capercaillie's Oliver, inhabits the sterile sage-bush plains of the West ; an abundant and 

 characteristic species of these forbidding regions, beginning with the eastern foot-hills of the 

 Rocky Mts., S. into New Mexico and Arizona, sparingly N. to 49° or farther, in British Colum- 

 bia and the Milk River region of southern Assiuiboia and Alberta, in both of which provinces 

 I have observed it. Not in Dakota east of the Coteau, or in the Missouri Basin much below 

 the Yellowstone country. Its centre of abundance is the artendsia tracts of Colorado, Wyo- 

 ming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, eastern California, and Oregon. It straggles through the sage- 

 bush, but I have seen packs of hundreds in the fall. In the breeding season its sonorous 

 huUaballoo resounds on every hand where the birds are numerous ; the trouble begins in some 

 regions in February, and is kept up for a month or so; the laying season is protracted from 

 the latter part of March through May. The flesh is edible or not, "as you like it." The 

 behavior toward man varies with circumstances; sometimes the birds may almost be knocked 

 over with a stick, at others it is difficult to get a shot. In walking, the tail is somewhat ele- 

 vated, and swings sideways with each step. The flight is extremely vigorous, and at times 

 greatly protracted, 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 wing, accomplished with a succes- 

 sion of quick energetic wing-beats, alternating with sailing with stiffly motionless wings until 

 the impulse is spent. From the nature of its resorts the bird is exclusively terrestrial. The 

 egg is narrower and more pf)inted than that of any other Grouse of our country, measuring 

 from 2.05-2.35 X 1.50-1.60; average length 2.20; grayish or greenish-drab color, thickly 

 speckled with chocolate-brown, mostly in minute dots evenly distributed, occasionally with 

 well-defined spots up to size of a split pea, tending to circular shape. The number to a clutch 

 is indefinite, but does not average over 9, though 12, 15, even 17 have been found in one nest. 

 PEDICE'CETES. (Gr. TreStW, j)edion, a plain ; oIk^ttis, oiketes, an inhabitant.) Pin-tail 

 Grouse. Neck without obviously peculiar feathers, like those either of the Pinnated or 



