COLUMBIAN SHARP-PAILED GROUSE: 
NHABITING the Northwestern States of the Union 
from Montana and Wyoming to Washington and 
Oregon, on the eastern slopes of the mountains which 
there check its progress toward the Pacific, and thence 
north through British Columbia to Alaska, this bird is 
the Western representative of the race dwelling upon 
the prairies of the States lying just east of the Rocky 
Mountains. South it goes to Nevada and the north- 
eastern part of California. To most persons the two 
forms here distinguished as the Columbian and Prairie 
Sharp-tailed Grouse would appear to be the same, the 
slight differences of color and style of markings not being 
sufficiently striking and tangible to be perceived without 
having the assistance of an expert to point them out. 
And, in truth, the differences are very slight, but never- 
theless have been deemed important enough to give the 
birds the rank of separate races. The locality of a speci- 
men, however, would be of the highest importance, in 
many instances, in assisting the decision as to which 
race it belonged. This Grouse, known, in addition 
to the name given above, as the Pin-tail, Spike-tail 
Grouse, and Prairie Chicken, has practically the same 
habits as those of its Eastern relative,and is very common 
throughout the districts in which it is found. Like the 
Prairie Sharp-tail, it keeps to the open country, and if 
met with in summer in the wooded portions, it will only 
be along their edges, where it has easy access to the 
prairie-land. 
In the spring, before sunrise, these birds meet together 
126 
