ZOOLOGY. 95 



TETRAO UROPHASIANUS. 

 Sage Cock. 



This is the largest of American grouse, the male sometimes weighing from five to six 

 pounds. It is, when in full plumage, rather a handsome hird, at least decidedly better looking 

 than any figure yet given of it. The female is smaller than the male, and of a monotonous 

 sober brown ; but the male, brown above, is handsomely marked with black and white on the 

 neck, breast, and wings, and has a distinctive character in the spaces of bare, orange colored 

 skin which occupy the sides of the neck. These spaces are usually concealed by the feathers, 

 but are susceptible of inflation to a great size, and, when strutting in parade before the females, 

 the neck is puffed out like that of the pouter pigeon. 



This bird does not inhabit the valleys of California, but belongs to the fauna of the interior 

 basin, or. more probably, to the Rocky mountain fauna — that of the dry, desert country 

 lying on both flanks of the Rocky mountain chain. We first met with it high up on Pit river, 

 at the point where we left it and crossed over to the lakes. Coming into camp at evening, I 

 had been attracted by a white, chalk-like bluff, some two miles to the right of our trail, which I 

 visited and examined. Near it was a warm spring, which came out of the hill-side, and, spread- 

 ing over the prairie, kept a few acres green and fresh, strongly contrasting with the universal 

 brown of the landscape. In this little oasis I found some, to me, new flowers, many reptiles, 

 and a considerable number of sharp-tailed grouse, of which I killed several; the whole presenting 

 attractions sufficiently strong — as we were to remain encamped one day — to take me over there 

 early next morning. I had filled my plant case with flowers, had obtained frogs and snakes 

 and chalky, infusorial earth enough to load down the boy who accompanied me, and had enjoyed 

 a fine morning's sport, dropping as many grouse on the prairies as we could conveniently carry. 

 Following up the little stream toward the spring on the-hill side, a dry, treeless surface with 

 patches of "sage bushes," (artemisia tridentata,) I was suddenly startled by a great flutter and 

 rush, and a dark bird, that appeared to me as large as a turkey, rose from the ground near 

 me, and, uttering a hoarse Mk, hek, flew off with an irregular, but remarkably well sustained 

 flight. 



I was just then stooping to drink from the little stream, and quite unprepared for game of 

 any kind, least of all for such a bird, evidently a grouse, but so big and black, so far exceed- 

 ing all reasonable dimensions, that I did not think of shooting him, but stood with open eyes 

 and, doubtless, open mouth, eagerly watching his flight to mark him down. But stop he did 

 not, so long as I could see him, now flapping, now sailing, he kept on his course till he 

 disappeared behind a hill a mile away. 



1 was, of course, greatly chagrined by his escape, but, knowing that given one grouse it is 

 usually not difficult to find another, I commenced looking about for the mate of the one I had 

 lost. My search was not a long one; almost immediately she rose from under a sage bush with 

 a noise like a whirlwind, not to fly a mile before stopping to look around, as the cock had done, 

 but, by a fortunate shot, falling helpless to the ground. No deer stalker ever felt more tri- 

 umphant enthusiasm while standing over the prostrate body of a buck, or fisherman when the 

 silvery sides of a salmon sparkled in his landing net, than I felt as I picked up this great, and 

 to me unknown, bird. I afterward ranged the hill-sides for hours, with more or less success 

 waging a war on these birds, which I found to be quite abundant, but very strong winged and 

 difficult to kill. I repeatedly flushed them not more than ten yards from me, and, as they rose, 



