1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 57 



96. Canachites franklini (Douglas) 



Franklin Grouse 



A eomiiion permanent resident of the mountains of the western part of the 

 state, ranging east to the eastern slopes of the continental divide. The eastern- 

 most boundaries of its range are marked by the following records: St. Mary's 

 Lake (Baird, 1858, p. 624); Belt Mountains (Williams, 1882a, p. 61); Teton 

 and northern Lewis and Clark counties, on headwaters of Sun River (Saunders. 

 1914a, p. 131) ; Jefferson and Silver Bow counties east to the divide (Saunders, 

 1912a, p. 24) ; and Big Hole Basin (Forrest, 1914, p. 194). 



This bird is almost universally known in Montana as "fool hen". (See fig. 

 14.) ITnlike the dusky grouse, it shows no migratory movement u^p or down the 

 mountain slopes, but remains in the dense spruce and arbor-vitae forests of the 

 Canadian zone throughout the year. There are no data on the nesting of this 

 bird in Montana. The nesting probably takes lAace in June, for half -grown 

 young are to be seen in July. 



97. Bonasa umbellus togata (Linnaeus) 



Canada Ruffed Grouse 



A common permanent resident in all mountain ranges of the state, in the 

 pine hills of the eastern part, and in the lower foothills. The easternmost rec- 

 ords are as follows: Big Horn ^Mountains (McChesney, 1879, p. 2392) ; Fergus 

 County (Silloway, 1903a, p. 24) ; and Long Pine Hills, Carter County (Visher. 

 1911, p. 10). All observers in the mountains west of these points have recorded 

 this species. 



The nesting takes place in June, or perhaps begins in late May. The only 

 definite dates given are June 7, 15, and 16, 1902, at Flathead Lake. The eggs 

 on the last date were ready to hatch (Silloway, 1903b, p. 297). This species 

 inhabits the Transition and lower Canadian zones, being more abundant in the 

 Transition. It is found in mixed thickets of \villow, alder, cottonwood and 

 spruce, along the beds of the lower mountain streams. 



98. Bonasa umbellus umbelloides (Douglas) 



Gray Ruffed Grouse 



This subspecies has been attributed to Montana by many writers. In fact 

 most of the records cited above are for this form rather than togata. After try- 

 ing in vain to work out the ranges of two subspecies in the state, and examining 

 as many specimens as possible, I have come to the conclusion that the two birds 

 range together over the greater part of the state, and that what is written above 

 under togata can apply equally as well to umbcUoides. In regions where collect- 

 ing has been done, and specimens carefully determined, the majority of the 

 birds belong to togata. If unihelloides always has a gray tail, as the descrij)- 

 tions state, then togata ranges everywhere in the state that I have been. Montana 

 specimens wiiich I have examined, determined to belong to both forms, do not 

 show enough difference to warrant subspecific distinction as far as this state is 



