742 



SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — GALLIN.E — ALECTOROPODES. 



Fig. 40S. 

 nat. del. E. C. 



• Head of Ruffed Grouse, nat. size. (Ad. 



the average ; but this is irrespective of age, sex, season, or locality, does not in the least corre- 

 spond with the pretended geographical distribution of the subspecies togata M'hich some late 

 Grouse-fanciers have sought to establish, and I cannot imagine myself humoring such a vrhim 

 in the " Key." We have quite enough to do iu making out umbelloides to be subspecifi- 

 cally different. A vv^oodland bird, like the species of Canachites, abundantly distributed over 



eastern North America ; W. in the U. S. to 



the central plains ; in British America from 

 Hudson's Bay to Alaska; S. in the U. S. 

 to Georgia, Mississippi, and Arkansas, but 

 less common, except in the southern Appa- 

 lachian regions. This fine game bird is well 

 known under the above names iu different sec- 

 tions ; but it is neitlier a "partridge" nor a 

 " pheasant," being, in fine, a Ruffed Grouse. 

 The ''drumming" sound for which this bird 

 is noted is not vocal, as some suppose, but 

 is produced by rapidly whirring the wings in 

 the air, without beating them against each 

 other, against the body of the bird, nor yet against the log or other hard object upon which 

 the cock stands to perform this peculiar love-act ; the hen does not drum. The sound may 

 be heard at any season, but chiefly in spring, from February to the end of the breeding season, 

 which is at its height in May. This grouse is not migratory, and its breeding range is coinci- 

 dent with its general distri- 

 bution ; its favorite haunts 

 ai'e groves, coppices, and 

 under woods rather than 

 deep forests ; the nest is of 

 a few leaves, etc., on the 

 ground, rarely on a log or 

 stump or in a brush heap, 

 but often under or amidst 

 such things. Eggs 8-14, 

 exceptionally more, aver- 

 agmg a devil's dozen in 

 number, in color very char- 

 acteristic ; from creamy 

 white to creamy buff, usu- 

 ally immaculate, some- 

 times minutely dotted or 

 even speckled witli brown ; 

 they resemble Partridge 

 eggs somewhat in shape, 

 which approaches the 

 pyriform, broad and blunt at one end. pointed at the other; size about 1.60 X 1-20, moderately 

 variable either way. B. umbellus and B. u. togata, A. 0. U. Nos. 300 and 300 a. 

 B. u. umbelloi'des. (Lat. umbella, as above defined, and Gr. elSos, eidos, resemblance.) 

 Gray Ruffed Grouse. A subspecies of the last, of very difterent tone of color in its ex- 

 treme development, but shading into the common Ruffed Grouse by insensible degrees in Brit- 

 ish America. When fully manifested, as follows : <J Lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts 

 and tail slate-gray, with little if any brown tinge; the feathers of the back and rump with 



Fig. 499. —Ruffed Grouse. (From Lewis.) 



