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

 of broad, soft, glossy feathers ; tail broad, long, rounded, fan- 

 shaped ; legs bare from heel. The ruffed grouse, B. 7imbellus ; 

 Sabine's grouse, B. u. sabini ; the Canadian ruffed grouse, B. 2c. 

 togata, and the gray ruffed grouse, B. ti. umbelloides . 



Genus Dendragapus — Head slightly crested; tail long, square at 

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

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

 richardsoni. 



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 Tympannchus — Head crested ; winglike tufts above air-sacs 

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

 icaniis; heath-hen, T. ciipido \ lesser prairie-hen, T. pallidi- 

 cinctus ', and Attwater's prairie-hen, 7". a. attwateri. 



Genus Pedioecetes — Head slightly crested; no winglike tufts above 

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

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

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



Genus Centrocerais — 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. Jcrophasianiis. 



Genus Lagoptis — 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. rupestns; Reinhardt's ptarmi- 

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

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