404 



CAANCE OBSCURUS, VAR. RICHARDONII (Douglas). 

 RICHARDSON'S DUSKY GROUSE. 



Specific Character. — Back and wings blackish brown crossed with wavy 

 lines of slaty gray, mixed with yellowish brown on the scapulars. Long feathers 

 of the sides tipped with white, under parts light slate mixed with white on lower 

 parts Cheeks black, chin and throat speckled with black and white feathers on 

 sides of the neck slightly enlarged, covering a rudimentary air sac. Tail brown- 

 ish black veined and marbled with grey and having a broad terminal band of 

 the same colour. Female smaller, more varied and generally hghter in colour, 

 but having the under parts and bar at the end of the tail slaty gray, as in the 

 male. Length, 20 to 22 inches ; wings, 9 to 10 inches ; tail, 7 inches. 



Habitat. — Rocky Mountains from central Montana northward into British 

 America. 



Eggs creamy buff spotted with chocolate brown. Mr. Mcllwraith who gives 

 the above description, quotes Mr. C. J. Bampton of Sault Ste. Marie as being the 

 only observer who has recorded the occurrence of this bird in Ontario. He has 

 •often seen it brought into the market there. 



