TETRAONID^ — THE GROUSE. 437 



birds are fat and tender, and as they fall on the grassy prairie scatter 

 their feathers, as if torn to pieces. 



According to Dr. Suckley, the Sharp-tailed Grouse entirely replaces the 

 Pinnated Grous6 in Washington Territory. He first noticed it near old Fort 

 Union, at the mouth of the Yellowstone Eiver. From that point to the 

 Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington Territory it was exceedingly 

 abundant wherever there was open country and a sufficiency of food. In 

 certain places they were in great numbers in the autumn, congregating in 

 large flocks, especially in the vicinity of patches of wild rye, and more re- 

 cently near settlements where there were wheat-stubbles. They resemble the 

 Pinnated Grouse in habits. Where they are numerous, they may frequently 

 be found, on cold mornings in the autumn or early winter, perched on fences 

 or on leafless trees, sunning themselves in the early sunlight. At Fort Dalles 

 a young bird, scarcely two days old, was found on the first of April. This 

 early incubation seems to prove that tliey must have more than one brood 

 in a season. The young Grouse was confided to the charge of a Hen with a 

 brood of young chickens ; but it refused to associate with them, and escaped, 

 probably to perish of cold. Dr. Cooper adds that this Grouse is found in 

 Washington Territory only in the low alluvial prairies of the streams empty- 

 ing into the Columbia east of the Cascade Mountains, where it was 

 found in flocks of several hundreds. They shun high grounds and forests 

 entirely. Tlie only cry he ever lieard them utter was a cackle when sud- 

 denly started from the ground. Their wings make a loud whirring, as among 

 others of this family. 



Mr. J. K. Lord found this species abundantly distributed on the western 

 slope of the Ptocky Mountains, ranging right and left of the 49th parallel. 

 It was particularly numerous on the plains near tlie Kootanie Ptiver, round 

 the Osoyoos Lakes, and in the valley of the Columbia. He did not meet 

 with any on the western side of the Cascade Eange. It is also found in the 

 Red River settlements and in Northern Minnesota. 



Mr. Elliot is quite in error in stating that this Grouse does not occur east 

 of the Mississippi as it is found nearly throughout Northern Illinois and 

 Southern Wisconsin. I have seen a flock within thirty miles of Chicago, 

 and have from time to time had their eggs from Dane County, Wisconsin. 



Mr.* Lord regards this Grouse as remarkable both for its field qualities — 

 such as lying well to a dog, rising with a loud rattling whir, frequenting open 

 grassy prairies, and flying as straight as an arrow — and for its excellence as 

 a table dainty. For delicacy of flavor its flesh is unequalled. With the fur- 

 traders this species is known as the Spotted Chicken, and is, furthermore, the 

 Skis-kin of the Kootanie Indians. Its singular combination of colors — white, 

 black, and brownish-yellow — makes it exactly resemble the ground on which 

 it lives, and admirably harmonizes with the dead twigs and leaves of the ar- 

 temisia, the dry and sandy soil, the brown of the withered bunch-grass, and 

 the sombre-colored lichens of the rocks. It often requires a keen and j^rac- 



