KEYS 77 



Key to California Game Birds — (Continued) 



PAGE 



32'. Bill entiiel\- black; forehead white. Wilson Plover 479 

 31'. Breast never crossed by a complete black band. 



33. Larger; folded wing more than 5.25 inches (133 mm.) 



long. Mountain Plover 481 



33'. Smaller; folded wing less than 5.25 inches (133 mm.) 

 long. 

 34. Neck encircled behind by a white collar; folded 

 wing less than 4.25 inches (108 mm.) long; bill 

 less than 0.75 (19 mm.). Snowy Plover 473 



34'. No white collar around hind neck; folded wing 

 more than 4.25 inches (108 mm.) long; bill more 

 than 0.75 (19 mm.). Sanderling 391 



28'. Bill red, more than 2.25 inches (57 mm.) long. 



35. Whole belly and base of tail white. Frazar Oyster-catcher 502 

 35'. Whole plumage brown or blackish appearing; no white 



markings anywhere. Black Oyster-catcher 498 



PHEASANT, QUAILS, AND GROUSES 



1. Wing more than 6.00 inches (152 mm.) long. 

 2. Tarsus altogether unfeathered; toes never with horny fringes; male 



with spur on tarsus. Ring-necked Pheasant 572 



2'. Tarsus (at least the upper half) feathered; toes (in winter at least) 

 with horny fringes; no spur on tarsus of male. 

 3. Middle of belly solidly black; feathers of tail conspicuously 

 pointed; tail longer than wing; wing over 9.75 inches (248 

 mm.). Sage-hen 564 



3'. Middle of belly not black, but of same color as most of under 

 surface; feathers of tail not pointed; tail shorter than wing; 

 folded wing less than 9.75 inches (248 mm.). 

 4. Tail not square-ended, middle pair of tail feathers longer than 

 the rest; middle of belly solidly white. 



Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse 558 

 4'. Tail square-ended; belly not pure white. 



5. Each side of neck with a "ruff" of black or copper-colored 

 feathers; lower third of tarsus naked; tail crossed by a 

 broad dark band near end; plumage mostly reddish brown 

 iu both sexes. Oregon Ruffed Grouse 552 



5'. Sides of neck without ruffs; tarsus completely feathered; end 

 of tail crossed by a broad light band; body plumage (of 

 male) chiefly dark bluish gray. 

 6. Adult male darker colored; less white on chin and throat. 



Sooty Grouse 552 

 6'. Adult male lighter; more white on chin and throat. 



Sierra Grouse 544 

 1'. Wing less than 6.00 inches (152 mm.) long; tarsus never feathered. 

 7. Head with a straight slender tapering plume more than 2.00 inches 

 (51 mm.) long; flanks rich chestnut brown, broadly barred with 

 black and white; throat brown in both sexes. 

 8. Darker; back and tail deep olive brown. Painted Quail 513 



