THE DUSKY GROUSE, 41 



15. Dendragapus obscurus (Say). 



DUSKY GROUSE. 



Tetrao obsrurits Say, Long's Expedition, 11. '18:23, 14. 



Dendragapus ohsnirus Elliot, Pi'oceediugs Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelpliia. 

 18G4, 23. 



(B 459, C 381, R 471, C 557, U 297.) 



Geographical range : Soiitliern Rocky Mountains, from central Arizona and 

 New Mexico, north to southeastern Idaho and central Wyoming, east to southwestern 

 South Dakota, west to northeastern Nevada. 



With oiir present limited knoAvledge it is rather a difficult matter to define 

 accurately the range of the Dusky Grrouse from tliat of tlie two subspecies, the 

 "Sooty" and "Richardson's" Grouse; this can only be done approximately as 

 yet. The three forms are ^vell known and rank as tlie finest of game birds, and 

 next to the Sage Fowl are the largest Grouse found within the United States. 



Beo-inniii"- with the northern rang-e of the Dusky Grouse as -well as I can 

 define it, this includes a small portion of southeastern Idaho, where it inter- 

 grades Avitli D. ohscurus fuJkji)wsiis, thence eastward through Wyoming and 

 western South Dakota (Black Hills), south and west through northeastern 

 Nevada (East Humboldt Mountains), Utah, central and western Colorado, as 

 well as northern and central Arizona and nearly the whole of New Mexico, 

 excepting the extreme southern portion south of the Rio Mimbres, which marks 

 the most southern limit of its range. 



It is more or less a common resident in suitable localities, ?'. e., the outer 

 bwders of the timbered mountain regions of the States and Territories men- 

 tioned, and breeds wherever found. It is best known as the Blue Grouse, and 

 is also called Pine Grouse and Pine Hen. 



Mr. Denis Gale, of B.">ulder County, Colorado, a careful and reliable 

 observer, writes me as follows: " Here in Colorado the Dusky Grouse ranges 

 from an altitude of about 7,000 feet to timber line. Having once selected a 

 place to raise a brood they do not stray far from the neighborhood. Water at 

 no great distance is always kept in view. The lower gulches and side hills are 

 mostly chosen for their summer homes. During the mating season if you are 

 anywhere near the haunts of a pair you will surely hear the male and most 

 likely see him. He niay interview you on foot, strutting along- before you, in 

 short hurried tacks alternating from right to left, with widespread t;ul tipped 

 forward, head drawn in and l)ack and win^s di-ag-ffino- alonof the sTound, nuich 

 in tlie style of a turkev gobbler. At other times vou may hear his mimic 

 thunder overhead ajjain and ao-ain in his fiioht from tree to tree. As you 

 walk along he leads, and this recoimoitering on his pai-t, if yoti are not familiar 

 with it, may cause you to suppose that the trees are alive with these Grouse. 

 He then takes his stand upon a rock, stump, or log, and in the manner already 

 described distends the lower part of his neck, opens his trill of white, edged 

 with the darker feather tips, siiowing in its center a pink narrow line describing 



