508 THE BIRDS OF MANITOBA THOMPSON. 



but I have seen numbers of them brought in to the game dealers from 

 the woods about Lake Winnipeg, where it is resident (Nash). Swampy 

 Island : 1885, first seen, flock of ten, on March 9 -, next seen March 11 ; 

 always common and resident : very abundant October, November, and 

 Ai^ril ; breeds here (Plunkett). Very numerous in the poplar woods to 

 the north of Fort Pelly along Red Deer Riv^er, and at the sources of 

 the Swan River, August, 1881 (Macoun). Rat Portage: One specimen 

 taken by me October, 1886 ; I was informed that it is not uncommon 

 here, though much less plentiful than the Birch Partridge or Bonasa 

 (Thompson). Trout Lake (Murray). In great plenty near Cumberland 

 House (Hearne, 1771). 



October 16, 1886, Rat Portage : Shot a female Spruce Partridge to- 

 day ; length, 14J ; wing, 7 ; tail, 4f ; crop and gizzard filled with 

 spruce leaves. This is the only specimen seen here, but at Port Arthur, 

 October 8, I saw numbers exposed for sale in the shops ; they were said 

 to have been shot in the neighborhood. 



97. Bonasa umbellus togata. Canadian Euffed Grouse. Birch Partridge. 



Tolerably common in the spruce woods of the east ; specimens sent 

 to Mr, Ridgway from the"Norwest Angle" near Rat Portage have 

 by him been pronounced this variety; it is fairly plentiful there and 

 known as the Birch Partridge ; it is probable that all of this species 

 found within the limits of the coniferous forest as indicated may be 

 referred to the form of togata; therefore I assume that the following 

 records belong here: " Puskee, Shoulder-knot Grouse;" this bird is an 

 inhabitant of the southern parts of Hudson's Bay; feeds on birch buds 

 (Hutchins, MSS. observations, Hudson Bay, 1782). Swan Lake (prob- 

 ably) (Macoun). 



Referring to the Ruffed Grouse, the Sharptail, and the Wood or 

 Spruce Partridge, Hearn says: "I have seen them in great plenty near 

 Cumberland House;" and later, in writing of the drumming of the first : 

 " I have frequently heard them make that noise near Cumberland 

 House in the month of May, but it was always before sunrise and a 

 little after sunset." 



On October 11, 1886: At Rat Portage some Indians came to the door 

 to-day with a lot of partridges to sell. These no doubt would have 

 proved togatus^ as they must have been taken in the neighborhood ; 

 several among them had red ruffs, showing that that variation is not 

 confined to the subspecies umbelloides. 



At Rat Portage, January 14, 1887, I received five partridges (var. 

 togatus), shot in the woods just west of this point; four were males and 

 measured 17^, 19^, 19, 18^ in length ; one doubtful was 19f long. 



Carberry specimens of umbellus had been referred to the form umbel- 

 loides by Mr. Ridgway, and when he further decided my Rat Portage 

 specimens to be togatus, there were not lacking those who ridiculed 

 the idea of the two forms being typically represented within 200 miles 



