THE GROUSE FAMILY 



Sub-family Tetraonince, which includes all grouse. The American 

 species are : the ruffed grouse, the dusky grouse, the spruce- 

 grouse, the pinnated grouse, or prairie-chicken, the sharp- 

 tailed grouse, the cock-of-the-plains, and the ptarmigan. 



Genus Sotiasa — Head crested, rudimentary air-sac covered by a tuft 

 of broad, soft, gk)ssy feathers ; tail broad, long, rounded, fan- 

 shaped ; legs bare from heel. The ruffed grouse, B. timbellus ; 

 Sabine's grouse, B. u. sabini ; the Canadian ruffed grouse, B. ic. 

 togata, and the gray ruffed grouse, B. ;/. mnbelloides. 



Genus Dcndragapus — Head shghtly crested: tail long, square at 

 tip ; air-sacs on neck. The dusky grouse, D. obscurus ; the 

 sooty grouse, D. o. fuliginosus ; Richardson's grouse, V. o. 

 ricJiardsoiii. 



Genus Canachites — Head without crest ; tail moderately long, nearly 

 square at tip ; no air-sacs on neck. The Canada grouse, C. 

 canadensis, and the Franklin's grouse, C. franklini. 



Genus Tympanuchus — Head crested ; winglike tufts above air-sacs 

 on neck ; tail short, rounded. The pinnated grouse, T. ainer- 

 tcamts; heath-hen, T. cupido ; lesser prairie-hen, T. pallidi- 

 cincttis ; and Attwater's prairie-hen, T. a. attwateri. 



Gtxms, Pedioecetes — Head slightly crested ; no winglike tufts above 

 air-sacs ; tail pointed. The sharp-tailed grouse, P. phasianelhis ; 

 the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, P. p. colunibianus, and the 

 prairie sharp-tailed grouse, P. p. campestris. 



Genus Centrocercns — No crest ; air-sacs very large ; tail very long, 

 of narrow, stiff feathers ; male much larger than female. The 

 cock-of-the-plains (sage-cock), C urophasianits. 



Genus Lagopus — No crest; tarsi and toes densely feathered; tail 

 medium length, slightly rounded ; plumage turning white in 

 winter. The willow-ptarmigan, L. lagopus-, Allen's ptarmigan, 

 L. I. alleni; rock-ptarmigan, L. rupestris; Reinhardt's ptarmi- 

 gan, L. r. reinliardti ; Welch's ptarmigan, L. r. welchi; Nel- 

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