408 



PEDIOC^TES PHASIANELLUS, VAR PHASIANELLUS (Elliot). 



SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 



Specific Character. — Prevailing colours, clear dusky black above and pure 

 white beneath ; no buff about the head, upper parts variegated with transverse 

 rather zig-zag spots of yellowish brown ; scapular with broad elliptical longi- 

 tudinal medial spots of pure white ; wing coverts with large rounded and outer 

 webs of primaries with smaller and more quadrate spots of pure white. Breast 

 thickly covered with broad V shaped, and the sides with less numerous sagittate 

 marks of uniform clear slaty or dusky. Legs densely feathered, the long hair- 

 like feathers reaching beyond the claws, and completely hiding the toes. Throat 

 thickly spotted with dusky. No appreciable difference in plumage between the 

 sexes. 



Length, ] 8 to 20 inches ; wing, 8 to 9 ; middle feathers of the tail, 4 to 6 ; 

 outer feathers, 1|. 



Habitat — British America from Hudson's Bay territory, south to the northern 

 shore of Lake Superior, and west to Alaska and British Columbia. 



Prof. Macoun says : — " This is the prairie chicken of our western plains, 

 the true prairie chicken not being observed hei*e." Dr. Coues, also says this is 

 the prairie chicken of the M'hole North-West, usually occurring where the 

 Pinnated Grouse does not, although the habitats of the two species overlap to 

 some extent. 



This bird is not reported in Ontario anywhere east of Sault Ste. Marie, 

 where, as in the case of the Dusky Grouse, Mr. C. J. Bampton reports it as being 

 occasionally seen on the market. It, however, becomes more abundant as you 

 go west, for it is reported as being common near Winnipeg. Baird, Brewer, and 

 Ridge way, in their " North American Birds," say, " It is found in abundance on 

 the outskirts of the Saskatchewan plains and throughout the wooded districts of 

 the fur countries, frequenting the open glades or low thickets, on the borders of 

 lakes, especially where the forests have been partially cleared, perching on trees 

 in the winter but keeping to the ground in the summer, and at all seasons met 

 with in flocks of from ten to sixteen. They are said, early in spring, to select 

 some level place, where a covey meets every morning and runs round in a circle 

 of about twenty feet in diameter, so that the grass is worn quite bare. If anyone 

 approaches this circle the birds squat close to the ground, but if not alarmed by 

 too near approach they soon stretch out their necks to survey the intruder, and 

 resume their circular course, some running to the right and others to the left, 

 meeting and crossing each other. These " partridge dances " are said to last a 

 month or more, or until the female begins to incubate. The hen is said to lay 

 about thirteen eggs earl}^ in June, the nest being on the ground, formed of grasses 

 lined with feathers. The eggs are of a dark tawny colour, minutely dotted with 

 darker spots of brown." 



