franklin's grouse. 149 



eastern portion of Washington Territory. Specimens of 

 this species, sent by Dr. Suckley to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, were procured by Mullan in St. Mary's Valley, 

 in the Rocky Mountains. Thej^ were quite common in 

 that region, and were readily obtainable, as they wei"e 

 very tame and unsuspicious. Mr. George Gibbs informed 

 Dr. Suckley that in November, 1847, he obtained in the 

 Willamette Valley a small Grouse that may probably be 

 referred to this species. 



Mr. Lord thinks that this species is rarely found west of 

 the Cascades; but on the Eastern side and along the whole 

 district lying between the Cascades and the Rocky Moun- 

 tains it is common, always keeping among the mountains, 

 to the height of seven thousand feet. He x-eirards them as 

 one of the most stupid of birds. When several are flushed 

 together, they fly up into the nearest pine tree, from which 

 you cannot frighten them with sticks and stones. He has 

 often shot several in a tree M^here there were others with- 

 out the latter attempting to fly away. During the winter 

 they remain in the deep woods and sheltered places, and 

 feed on the buds of the pines. They nest in early May, 

 and have chickens in June and J uly. He was of the opin- 

 ion that these birds do not pair; but from the large num- 

 ber of females, as compared with the males, he thinks they 

 are polygamists. 



Captain Blakiston considers this variety to be confined 

 to the Rocky Mountains and the country between that 

 range and the Pacific. He met with it for the first time 

 while following an Indian trail through a thick pine 

 woods, from the summit of the Kootenay Pass into the 

 valley of the Flathead River. The bird arose and perched 

 itself on a projecting branch, when he was at once sti'uck 

 with the dissimilarity to. the Canada Grouse, which was 

 made apparent by the whiteness of its flesh. Afterwards 

 he procured other specimens. He describes them as being 

 quite as unsuspicious and stupid as the Canada Grouse, 

 allowing themselves to be shot on the trees without mak- 

 ing any attempt to escape. — Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. 



