304 SHARP- TAILED GROUSE. 



Say introduced the species regularly into the scientific records of his 

 country. The expedition under Major Long brought back a specimen 

 now in the Philadelphia Museum, from which, though a female, and 

 unusually light colored, we have had our drawing made, on account of its 

 having been procured in the American territory. The bird is never 

 seen in any of the Atlantic States, though numerous in high northern 

 latitudes. It is common near Severn river and Albany Fort, inhabiting 

 the uncultivated lands in the neighborhood of the settlements, and par 

 ticularly near the southern parts of Hudson's Bay, being often killed in 

 winter near Fort York ; but it does not extend its range to Churchill. 

 Near Fort William on Lake Superior, the Sharp-tailed Grouse is also 

 found in spring, and we have seen specimens killed in winter at Cum- 

 berland House, and others at York Factory in summer. In collections 

 it is very rare ; and Temminck, when he wrote his history of gallina- 

 ceous birds, had never seen a specimen, nor did it exist at the time in 

 any European museum. 



It is by the shape of the tail that this Grouse is eminently distin- 

 guished from all others. The English name which we have, with Mr. 

 Saliine, selected fi'om Pennant, is much more applicable than that of 

 Long-tailed, given by Edwards ; for instead of being long, it is, except 

 the middle feathers, remarkably short, cuneiform, and acute, more 

 resembling that of some Ducks than of the Pheasant. By the elon- 

 gated feathers, but in no other particular, this species approaches 

 the African genus Pterocles. At Hudson's Bay it is called Pheasant, 

 a name which though inappropriate, seems at least better applied to 

 this than the Ruffed Grouse. 



The original writers that have mentioned this Grouse are, Edwards, 

 who first introduced it, and has figured the female from a badly stuffed 

 specimen, being however the only figure before ours ; Pennant ; Hearne, 

 who has given the most information concerning its habits derived from 

 personal observation ; and Forster, who has described it with accuracy. 

 Linn^ at first adopted it from Edwards, but afterwards most unac- 

 countably changed his mind, and considered it as a female of the 

 European Cock of the Woods. It was restored by Latham and others 

 to its proper rank in the scale of beings. 



The Sharp-tailed Grouse is remarkably shy, living solitary, or by 

 pairs, during summer, and not associating in packs till autumn ; remain- 

 ing thus throughout the winter. Whilst the Ruffed Grouse is never 

 found but in woods, and the Pinnated Grouse only in plains, the present 

 frequents either indifferently. They however, of choice, inhabit what 

 are called the juniper plains, keeping among the small juniper bushes, 

 the buds constituting their principal food. They are usually seen on 

 the ground, but when disturbed fly to the highest trees. Their food in 

 summer is composed of berries, the various sorts of which they eagerly 



