Birds of Indtana. 755 



fiV^,s'<sa tnuUiflora), and rciiiHins of several of the beetles before men- 

 tioned (Jour. Cin. Soc. K H., July, 1880, pp. 126, 127). 



An excellent article upon this species, from the standpoint of a 

 sportsman, by "Monoquet" (Mr. L. H. Haymond, of Warsaw), was 

 published in the American Field, and is referred to in the bibliog- 

 raphy. 



64. (Jknws TYMl'ANUCHUS UuxiKR. 



'122. (^^05). Tympanuchus americanus (TJeich.). 



Prairie Hen. 

 Synonyms, Pka hue Chicken, Pinnated Grouse. 



Adult Male. — Sides of neck with an erectile tuft of ten or more 

 rather stitf, elongated feathers with round ends, the longest of which 

 are 2.50 or more in length; tail feathers, without bars or other mark- 

 ings, except the narrow whitish tip. Adult Female. — Smaller, with 

 lesser neck tufts. 



Length, about 18.00-19.00; wing, 8.60-9.40 (9.04); tail, 4.00-4.30 

 (4.16). 



Range. — Prairies of Mississippi A^alley; south to Louisiana and 

 Texas; west to northern Indian Territory, middle Kansas, Nebraska, 

 and eastern ISTorth and South Dakota; east to Kentucky, Indiana, 

 northwestern Ohio, southeastern Michigan, and southwestern Ontario, 

 Canada; north to southern Manitoba. 



Nest, on ground. Eggs, 11-14; pale cream, olive buff or light brown, 

 often finely spotted with reddish-brown; 1.66 by 1.24. Ll^sually one 

 brood. 



Eesident; formerly very abundant over the original prairie district, 

 and now approximately confined to that district. In most places be- 

 coming scarce, in some very rare. 



Generally known by one of the following names: "Prairie Chicken," 

 "Chicken,'" or "Pinnated Grouse." 



Within recent years they have 1)een reported from the following 

 counties: Common in Newton, 1894 (Pfrimmer); in Starke, 1892, 

 1894 (Dunn); rare in Carroll, 1889 (Evermann), 1894 (Ster- 

 ling); Steuben, 1894 (Cass); Boone, 1895 (Beasley); Knox, 1888 

 (Balmer); Clinton, 1887 (Halleck); Wabash, 1895 (Ulrey and Wal- 

 lace). Its occurrence has also been noted in the following counties: 

 Lake, 1896 (Parker); Laporte, 1892 (Parker), 1894 (Barber); Benton 

 (specimen in State Museum); Allen (Stockbridge); Dekalb, Steuben 

 and Noble (McBride). 



