TETRAONID^E — THE GROUSE. 



449 



ulars. Feathers of the jugulum, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts with broad medial 

 streaks of light ochraceous, and black spots on the webs ; jugulum with a strong 

 buff tinge. Secondaries and wing-coverts strongly mottled transversely. Head dingy 

 buff, the upper part more rusty ; a post-ocular or auricular dusky patch, and a tuft of 

 dusky feathers on the vertex. Chick. Above light rufous, beneath rusty-white ; uniform 

 above and below ; a dusky post-ocular streak, inclining downwards across the auriculars. 

 Bill whitish. 



Hab. Eastern Province of North America ; in the northeastern portions (New Eng- 

 land, Labrador) and Alleghany Mountains inclining toward var. umhellus in having a 

 gray tail. 



Habits. This well-known bird — the common Birch Partriclae of the 

 British Provinces, the Partridge of New England and the West, and the 

 Pheasant of the Middle States — is found throughout the wooded portions of 

 eastern North America, from Georgia to Nova Scotia, and from the Atlantic 

 to the Eocky Mountains. Eichardson, in his description of its habits in the 

 Fauna Bo reali- Americana, states that he met with it as far north as the 56th 

 parallel of latitude, and mentions, in a note, that Mr. Drummond procured 

 specimens on the sources of the Peace Eiver, in the valley of the Eocky 

 Mountains, in no wise different from those taken on the Saskatchewan. On 



Bonasa umhellus. 



the banks of the latter river it was found very plentiful, frequenting the horse- 

 paths and the cleared spaces about the forts. In winter, when the ground was 

 covered with snow, it occurred in flocks of ten or twelve, perching on trees. 

 These flocks could be approached without difficulty, and several birds succes- 

 sively shot from the same tree without exciting the alarm of the survivors, if 

 the lowest were shot first. When disturbed, like most Grouse they flew off 

 very swiftly, with a loud whirring sound, and to a considerable distance before 

 alighting. The male in spring makes a very singular loud noise, resem- 

 bling the quick roll of a drum, which is produced by rapid strokes of the 



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