'"'isoo'."'] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 517 



one and identified it as the Pediocwtes ])hasianelliis. It was a female. 

 Length 17, extension 25^ inches. The pectinations on the toes very im- 

 perfect. Some of its comrades flew off and perched on tops of the 

 highest trees. While the one I had shot was strnggling in the agonies 

 of death, its tad was rapidly vibrated, so that the hard stiff feathers of 

 which it is composed produced a loud rustling noise, somewhat like the 

 sound of a newspaper shaken violently. 



April 19. Large numbers of Prairie Chickens about. They are said 

 to be returning from the woods. 



April 21. Numbers of Prairie Chickens about. One was on the roof 

 of the shanty making a curious crowing noise. 



Aprd 2S. Went to spruce brush with A. S. T. On the road he showed 

 me a Prairie Chicken. I dropped it at 40 yards with a half charge of No. 

 12. My brother remarked that they were never alone at this season ; 

 there must be another near by ; and presently I saw its head in the gra^^s 

 aud added it to our bag. Both were males. 



No. 1. Length 18, extension 26 inches; bare skin over the eye, bright 

 chrome-yellow ; air sacs purplish j all pectinations gone from the toes 

 but about 6 points ; claws very blunt. 



No. 2. Lengtii 18, extension 27 inches ; exactly as above, but pec- 

 tinations of the toes complete yet and claws quite sharp. 



May 8. Prairie Chickens abundant now on the prairies. 



May 9. Three Prairie Chickens brought to me to-day by the boys ; 

 two males ; one female; crops of all were filled with willow catkins, 

 sand-flowers {Anemone patens)^ and rosehips. The female was without 

 the air-sacs on the neck or the yellow over the eye. One had no pec- 

 tinations on the toes, the other two had the imperfect remains of them 

 only. 



May 10. Prairie Chicken (male) shot to-day shows no pectinations 

 whatever on the toes. 



May 12. Brandon. C. T. shot a Prairie Chicken (female). In the ova- 

 duct was an e^g nearly ready to be dropped; it was of a very pale blue; 

 about the color of a blue-bird Qgg. 



May 15. Camp 30 miles south of Souris. Shot a Prairie Chicken ; 

 (female) ; toes quite clear of pectinations ; gizzard and crop tilled with 

 rose-hips and the fleshy flower receptacles of the sand-flower {Anemone 

 patens). 



May 16. Camp 10 miles east of land office. Turtle Mountain. Shot a 

 Prairie Chicken (female) ; no pectinations on toes ; crop full of willow 

 catkins and sand-flowers ; one egg ready to be laid; it is pale bluish 

 olive in color. 



Sept. 2.3. Prairie Chickens were numerous to-day in a little grove just 

 west of the house. Specimens shot showed the feathering of the legs 

 tind the pectinations of the toes in full development. 



In Manitoba this bird is always spoken of as the Prairie Chicken. 

 I have several times heard this name objected to by Eastern naturalists 



