- THE PINNATED GEOUSE. 57 



tlie Siberian grouse (T. falcipcmiis), which differs merely 

 in its longer and more slender primaries. Tlie black 

 cock {T. tetrix) has a representative in the dusky, or pine 

 grouse {Canace ohscura), but it differs from the latter 

 materially in its metallic colors and j)cculiarly-formed 

 tail. The bills of both species are much alike. The 

 nearest kindred of the Bonasa sylvesiris of Europe is 

 the ruffed grouse {Bonasa umheUus), which is generally 

 known by the nanie of pheasant in the West and 

 Southwest. The ptarmigans of both continents are so 

 much alike in plumage and habits that the amateur 

 naturalist or the sj^ortsman will find little difficulty in 

 recognizing those which are allied, although he may 

 hear the American species called white quail in some 

 portions of the Northwest. 



The grouse are known indiscriminately by the names 

 of partridges and pheasants in various parts of Canada 

 and the Uuited States, although there is not a true part- 

 ridge or pheasant on the continent, and if there were it 

 would be an easy matter to distinguish them from the 

 TetraonincB. The partridges, in the first place, have 

 naked nostrils and tarsi, while these are more or less 

 feathered in the grouse; the latter also have a strip of 

 naked red or orange skin over the eye, a row of comb- 

 like scales on the sides of the toes, and, usually, a tuft 

 of feathers or a patch of naked, distensible skin, or both, 

 on each side of the neck. The tail feathers also vary 

 from sixteen to twenty in number, and the tail is forked, 

 rounded, or acute. Each species of grouse may be readily 

 distinguished apart by noting the peculiarities of the 

 neck, tail feathers, and tarsi. Those placed in the genus 

 Canace have a rather square tail, which is nearly as long 

 as the wing, and is composed of from sixteen to twenty 

 broad, rounded feathers. The tarsi are feathered to 

 the toes, and the neck is devoid of naked spaces and 

 lengthened plumes of peculiar feathers. The ptarmi- 



