THE COLUAIBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 597 



larly barred with white, the inner ones changing to pattern of back : tail gradnated, 

 the two central pairs of feathers much like back, the remainder mottled on outer 

 webs, white or grayish white on inner; below whitish as to base, or tinged with 

 buffy anteriorly, the throat buff, usually immaculate, the remaining feathers 

 usually with U- or A'-shaped markings of dark brown, heaviest and sharpest on 

 breast, least or none on belly ; axillars and wing-linings pure white ; legs grayish 

 white. Iris light brown ; bill chiefly dark horn-color ; toes light horn-color above, 

 darker below. Young birds are browner above, with sharp white shaft-lines, and 

 whiter below with dark brown spots on breast, changing to streaks on sides. 

 Length of adult: 18.00-20.00 (457.2-508): wing 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254): middle 

 pair of tail-feathers 4.00-6.00 ( loi. 6-152.4 ) ; shortest (lateral) tail-feathers 1.50 

 (38.1 ) : tarsus 2.00 ( 50.8 1 : bill .65 ( 16.5 ). 



Recognition Marks. — Cn.iw size : mottled grayish plumage ; chiefly terrestrial 

 habits : completely feathered tarsus ; graduated tail. 



Nesting. — AU^st: a grass-lined depression under shelter of sage-bush, grass- 

 clump, etc. Eggs: 10-15, buffy-olive or drab-colored, unmarked, or finely 

 dotted with brown. Av. size, 1.70X 1.24 ( 43.2 -\ 31.5 ). Season: c. Ma}' 1st: one 

 brood. 



General Range. — Northwestern I'nited States from western edge of the 

 Great Plains in Alontana west to Cascade-Sierras, south to northern California, 

 Nevada, and L'tah, north thru British Columbia to central Alaska. 



Range in Washington. — I'pper Sonoran and Arid Transiti<.>n life-zones in 

 eastern portion of State : unknown west of the Cascades. 



Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. P.iddle: Cones, \'ol. 

 II. p. 180.] Pcdiocirtcs pliasiancllits, Baird. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 

 1858, pp. 626, 627. T. C&S. D'. D-'. Ss'. Ss-'. J. 



Specimens. — Prov. P". 



"CHICKENS? Xo; I hav"n't seen a Prairie Chicken fur — Uh, 1 dunno 

 when — several years anyhow. Oh, yes; there used to be a good many of 'eni 

 ill thru here; that is, before them city sports came with their dogs and guns 

 and cleaned 'em all out." Such an answer might be expected of the average 

 East-side rancher anywhere from Walla Walla to the northern line, the it 

 would only be just to add that the farmer himself has helped himself pretty 

 liberally in the early day when "chickens" were plentiful, and wdien every man 

 accepted the bounty of nature without anxious thought for the morrow. The 

 Sharp-tailed Grouse still lingers in certain less frecjuented regions, and some 

 who know of local coveys may be inclined to scoff at these lines; but take my 

 word for it : there is not one Sharp-tail in the State where there were fifty 

 thirty years ago. We have no one to blame for it but ourselves either, for the 

 bird is not excessively shy. It is hardy and adapts itself readily to changing 

 conditions. Moreover, it thrives on the waste of the grain field, and is able 

 to glean a fat living from barren acres which yield nothing otherwise unless 

 it be for a band of all-devouring sheep. 



