36 Norman A. Wood 



io6. Pedioecetes phasianellns campestris Ridgway. Prairie Sharp-tailed 

 Grouse. 



Baird, 1858, p. 627 ; one taken at Fort Union by Dr. Hayden ; one taken at Fort 

 Union, 1843, by J. J. Audubon. Coues, 1878, p. 6.^0; commcn from Pembina to the 

 Mouse River ; secured a number of specimens from June 4 to August 24, 1873. 

 Hoi'FMAN, 1882, p. 403; several specimens secured by the Indians in timber four miles 

 west of the Agency at Fort Berthold. CouEs, 1893, p. 274; April 15, 1805, on the 

 high plains of McLean County, Lewis and Clark record many grouse which appear 

 to be mating. CouES, 1897, p. 26; Audubon says on June 11 he saw a fine flock of 

 sharp-tailed grouse near the mouth of the Knife River, Mercer County : p. 87 ; on 

 July 13, 1843, Harris saw six sharp-tailed grouse near Fort Union, and on July 29 

 Harris and Bell shot an old and young of this species. ThwaiTES. 1906, p. 199; 

 October 11 to 30, 1833, Maximilian records seeing flocks of prairie hens near Fort 

 Union: p. 208; October 31, numerous flights of prairie hens were crossing the river 

 in flocks of thirty or forty. Freeman, 1921,, p. 12; winter visitant, uncommon. 



There are three immature specimens in the Museum of Zoology Collec- 

 tion, taken in Ramsey County, August 2, 1900, by Charles L. Cass. The 

 species is common in the Devils and Stump lakes region, especially on 

 brushy areas near timber. It also occurs in summer on the open prairie, 

 and is found throughout the state in suitable habitats. It was found to be 

 very common in the Turtle Mountain region in the clearings and open fields. 



In winter this species migrates southward and enters all the timber tracts 

 in numbers. Mr. Williams, of Grafton, tells me that the Columbian sharp- 

 tail is found in the northern parts of the s^ate at that time. 



107. Ccntrocerciis urophasianus (Bonaparte). Sage Hen. 



Allen, 1875, p. 65; none seen east of the Little Missouri. Hoffman, 1882, p. 

 403 ; not cominon at the village. Fort Berthold, McLean County, but reported more 

 abundant further west. Roosevelt, 1885, p. 149; the sage grouse is preeminently a 

 grouse of the plains and is never found near trees; he shot them on the high plains 

 west of his ranch. Bendire, 1892, pp. 106-107; range of sage grouse in the state is 

 western North Dakota. 



The sage hen was not seen alive, but several people reported its occur- 

 rence. Carl Olsen told me that he had shot some in recent years about 

 thirty miles southwest of Medora. Victor File, of Medora, said that in 191 5 

 he found them common near Marmarth, Slope County, where he shot sev- 

 eral. Hon. Lewis Crawford, of. Sentinel Butte, Billings County, in a letter 

 to the writer dated August 23, 1921, says the sage grouse is plentiful about 

 thirty miles south of there. At one place on the Cannonball River he has 

 seen thousands of cocks on an old prairie dog town, bulling. In the breeding 

 season all the males come together for this show-off, and a,t this time are 

 very gentle and can be approached up to within fifty feet. The females are 

 on their nests at this time and very rarely seen at the gathering. 



108. Ectopi^tes migratoriiis (Linnaeus). Passenger Pigeon. Extinct. 



Coues, 1874 p. 388; along the Missouri often saw small flocks and noticed quite 

 a number of nests in small trees between Fort Pierre and Fort Berthold. CouES. 1878, 

 p. 628; countless flocks seen during the voyage down the Red River and at Pembina, 

 where specimens were collected from June 4 to 14, 1873. Took one nest containing 

 a single egg, June 13, and one bird in the Turtle Mountains in July. Abbott, 1880,. 



