SPRUCE partridge; CANADA GROUSE, 129 



SPRUCE PAKTRIDGB ; CANADA GROUSE. 



Canance Canadensis, Var, Canadensis —Linn. 



JiP. CITAR. — Tail of sixteen feathers. Above black. 

 j Feathers above distinctly banded with plumbeous; 

 ^'^"' l)eneath uniform black, with a ])ectoral band of 

 '•^i* white, and white on the sides of the belly. Chin and 

 throat above, black. Tail with a broad brownish-orange 

 terminal band. Length, 16, 20 ; wing, 6, 70; tail, 5, 44. 



Female smaller, but somewhat similar; the black bars 

 above broader, the inner gray bars of each feather, includ- 

 ing the tail, replaced by broader ones of brownish-orange. 

 The under parts have the feathers black, barred with the 

 brownish-orange, which, on the tips of the belly-feathers, is 

 pure white. The clear continuous black of the head and 

 breast is wanting. The scapulars, greater coverts, and 

 sides are streaked as in the male. 



A female (No. 39, 136, Ci. A. Boardman) from Maine, 

 diifers from the above description in having the ground of 

 the plumage a bright orange-rufous, the distinct bars of 

 which are broader than the black ones; this is probably 

 an autumnal bird, and represents the peculiar plumage of 

 that season. Males vary, individually, in the extent or 

 uniformity of the black of the breast. 



Specimens from Alaska, (Nulato, ICodiak, etc.,) Red 

 River, Liard's River and Fort Liard, Hudson's Bay Terri- 

 tory, Canada, and Maine, appear to be absolutely identi- 

 cal. The young in downy state are pale buff yellow ; the 

 head above, with the back and wings, pale fulvous ; a black 

 stripe on side of head (from bill to end of auriculars), two 

 spots on crown, and transverse crescentic spots on backs 

 and wings, black. 

 17 



