PARTRIDGE. 



•231 



Color. Adull male. Upper surfucp, excciJting wing^ which are dark-brown with the outer edj;e of primaries liand- 

 ed with yeUowish-white, reddish-hrown with the feathers edged, spotted, and mottled with dark-brown and ashy-white. 

 There is a liand of reddish-brown acros-^ breast, and the remaining under portions, are white, becoming yeliowisli on the 

 throat, sides, flanlcs, and under tail covcrls; banded throughout with broAvn. The tail is tipped with a^hy and has a sub- 

 tei-minal hanii of brown, above which is one of ashy. Tibia and tarsus, yellowish-brown. Neck tufts, black, with a blu- 

 ish iridesceuse. • 



Adull female. Quite similar to the male, but with the tail shorter and the general markings le'^s distinct, while the 

 neck tufts are either brown or tipped with it. 



Younij. Not unlike the female, being quite dull with a general diffusion of color while the feathers are short and are 

 marked like the other plumage. Iris, bill, and feet, brown, in these three stages. 



Neslliri(jx. Are at first covered with yellowish-rod down which is lighter below, having a central line on top nf head, 

 brown and also one behind eye of the same color, while the remainder of body is lined, mottled, and spotted witli it. The 

 wings aud tail are yellowish, banded with lighter and brown. From this they gradually assume the plumage hvst described. 

 Bill, iris, and feet, light brown, in this stage. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is considerable variation in plumage but this species may be readily known by the tuft of truncated feathers on 

 sides of neck, long tail, and coLirs as described. Nestling-: evidently moult the wing quills two or three times before ac- 

 quiring tlic full plumage. The tail, however, is retained until autumn. Albinos are nit unfrequent in this species. Dis- 

 tributed, as aciinstant resident, throughout Canaiaand Eastern United States, south among the mountiiins of the Caroli- 

 nas. I am indebted to the Bangs Brothers and Mr. A. Thorndike for skins of Grouse. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 18-00; streteh, 23 00: wing, 6-95; tail, 

 (i 45; 1)111, -72; tarsus, 1-55. Longest s])eeimen, litOC; greatest extent of wing, 23-50; longest wing, 7 25: tail, 6 'JO; bill, 

 •80.; tarsus, 1 70. Shortest specimen, 17-00; smallest extent of wing, 22^50; shortest wing, 6-75; tail, 5 90: bill, -65: tarsus, 

 1-45. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed on the ground. They are not very elaborate structures, being composed of leaves, weed^, or other con- 

 venient material. 



Ey/js, from eight to twelve in nnndier, rather oval in form, creamy-white or buff in color, occasionally .spotted with a 

 darker buff. Dimensions from l-08x |-45 to 1-JOx 1-65. 



HABITS. 



There are few wlio live in the sections inhabited by tlie fine Gron.-^e now under con- 

 sideration, and ever handled a gun, who are not more or le.ss familiar witli the way.s and 

 doings of the Partridge, as it is called in the North, or Pheasant, in Pciin-;ylvani;i and 

 soi'.tltward. Every sportsman knows the exciting whir of tlioir wings as they rise, and 

 tlic straight forward, onward dash of the birds, for, reganlless of such small obstat-les as 

 bitshes or tree tops, they go crashing through them, then sail smoothly across some neigh- 

 boring swamp, to alight on the next elevation. All this is so familiar to every one who is 

 interested in birds, th;it I will not enlarge on the general habits of these Grouse .but merely 

 give some special facts which I have o])served concerning them. 



Early in autumn, the Ruil'ed Grouse arc to be found in companies of from six to ton, 

 which are usually made up of a single family, and if not scattered by the sportsman, Avill 

 continue thus to associate through the winter. At first, they may be seen in the chestnut 

 or oak woods, gathering nuts and acorns, or at this season, they will venture into the corn 

 fields, especially if these be in the neighborhood of brushy pastures. If surprised when 

 feeding uhore not much hunted, they will seldom rise but will only run through the bush- 

 es, uttering a chucklinis note* and will not take wiri until hard *ushed, when they will 



