COLUMBIA SHARP-TAIL GROUSE. 135 



actness. The present form is found in Illinois and Wis- 

 consin, and westward to Oregon and Washington Terri- 

 tory, and as far to the North as British Columbia and the 

 Southern portion of the Saskatchewan Valley. Dr. New- 

 berry found this Grouse associated with the Prairie Chicken 

 on the prairies bordering on the Mississippi and the Mis- 

 souri, and frequently confounded with that bird, though 

 readily distinguishable by its lighter plumage, its speckled 

 breast, and smaller size. It is always the least abundant 

 of the two species, when found together. The range of this 

 Grouse extends much farther westward ; the cupido being- 

 limited to the Valley of the Mississippi, while the former 

 is found as far West as the Valleys of California. North 

 of San Francisco his party first found it on a prairie near 

 Canoe Creek, fifty miles north east of Fort Eeading; sub- 

 sequently, on a level grass-covered plain in the upper canon 

 of Pitt River, these birds were met in great abundance. 

 They were also found about Klamath Lakes and in the Des 

 Chutes Basin, as far as the Dalles. The flesh was very 

 much like that of the Prairie Chicken. This bird is said 

 to lie close, and when flushed to fly off", uttering a constantly 

 repeated kuck-kuck-kuck, moving with steadiness and con- 

 siderable swiftness. It is, however, easily killed. The 

 young birds are fat and tender, and as they fall on the 

 grassy pi-airie scatter their feathers, as if torn to pieces. 

 According to Dr. Suckley, the Sharp-Tailed Grouse entirely' 

 replaces the Pinnated Grouse in Washington Territory. 

 He first noticed it near old Fort Union, at the mouth of 

 the Yellowstone River. From that j^oint to the Cascade 

 Mountains of Oregon and Washington Territoiy it was ex- 

 ceedingly abundant wherever there was open country and 

 a sufiiciency of food. In certain places they were in great 

 numbers in the autumn, congregating in large flocks, esjie- 

 cially in the vicinity of patches of wild rye, and more re- 

 centl}^ near settlements where there were wheat stubbles. 

 They resemble the Pinnated Grouse in habits. Where 

 they are numerous, they may frequently be found, on cold 

 mornings in the Autumn or early Winter, perched on fences 



