416 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Canace canadensis, var. canadensis, Linn. 



SPRUCE PARTRIDGE; CANADA GROUSE. 



Tetrao canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1758, 159. — Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 

 389. —Sabine, Zool. App. Franklin's Exped. 683. — Bonap. Amer. Orn. Ill, 1830, 

 pi. xxi, f. 2, ?. — Ib. Am. Phil. Trans. Ill, N. S. 1830, 391. — Rich. F. Bor. Amer. 

 II, 1831, 346, pi. Ixii, 9.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 667. - Aud. Orn. Biog. 

 II, 1834, 437 ; V, 1839, 563, pi. clxxvi. — Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 83, pi. cclxciv. 

 — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 622. — Maynard, B. E. Mass. 1870, 138 (Massachu- 

 setts). — CouES, P. A. N. S. 1861, 226. — Gray, Cat. Brit. Mus. 1867, 86. — Dall 

 & Bannister, Tr. Chicago Ac. I, 1869, 287. — Finsch, Abh. Nat. Verz. Ill, 1872, 61. 

 Canace canadensis, Eeich. Av. Syst. Nat. 1851, p. xxix. (Type, Bonap. Comptes 

 Rendus, XLV, 1857, 428. — Elliot, P. A. N. S. 1864, 23. — Ib. Monog. Tetraon. pi. 

 Tetrao canace, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 275. Black Spotted Heathcock, Edwards, 

 Glean, pi. cxviii. Spotted Grouse, Pennant. 



Sp. Char. Tail of sixteen feathers. Above black. Feathers above distinctly banded 

 with plumbeous ; beneath uniform black, with a pectoral band of white, and white on the 

 sides of the belly. Chin and throat abov&, black. Tail with a broad brownish-orange 

 terminal band. Length, 16.20 ; wing, 6.70 ; tail, 5.44. 



Female smaller, but somewhat similar ; the black bars above broader, the inner gray bars 

 of each feather, including the tail, replaced by broader ones of brownish-orange. The 

 under parts have the feathers black, barred with the brownish-orange, which, on the tips 

 of the belly-feathers, is pure white. The clear continuous black of the head and breast 

 is wanting. The scapulars, greater coverts, and sides are streaked as in the male. . 



A female (No. 39,136, G-. A. Boardman) from Maine differs from the above description 

 in having the ground of the plumage a bright orange-rufous, the distinct bars of which 

 are broader than the black ones ; this is probably an autumnal bird, and represents the 

 peculiar plumage of that season. 



Males vary, individuall)^ in the extent or uniformity of the black of the breast. 



Specimens from Alaska (Nulato, Kodiak, etc.), Red River, Liard's River and Fort Liard, 

 Hudson's Bay Territory, Canada, and Maine, appear to be absolutely identical. 



The young in downy state are pale bufF-yellow ; the head above, with the back and 

 wings, pale fulvous ; a black stripe on side of head (from bill to end of auriculars), two 

 spots on crown, and transverse crescentic spots on back and wings, black. 



Hab. Spruce forests and swamps of the Northern United States to the Arctic seas ; 

 west nearly to Rocky Mountains. 



Habits. This bird, variously known as the Spruce or Wood Partridge, 

 Canada, Black, or Spotted Grouse, is found, in favorable localities, from the 

 Northern United States as far north as the woods extend, to the Arctic 

 Ocean, being found, even in midwinter, nearly to tlie 70th parallel. Sir John 

 Eichardson found all the thick and swampy black-spruce forests between 

 Canada and the Arctic Sea abounding with this species. In winter it de- 

 scends into Maine, Northern New York, and Michigan. Its migrations are, 

 however, only partial, as it is found in the severest weather of midwinter, in 

 considerable numbers, as far north as latitude 67°. According to Mr. Doug- 

 las, west of the Eocky Mountains it is replaced by the T. franklini. This 

 bird is said to perch in trees, in flocks of eight or ten, and is so stupid that 



