NO. 1166. 



FEATHEE-TRACTS OF GROUSE AND QUAIL— CLARE. 



649 



are not easily distinguishable from the long coverts. In general, Lago- 

 pi(S approaches quite closely to Canace. Nitzsch credits Lcujopns with 

 18 rectrices, but he must have mistaken the middle pair of coverts for 

 tail feathers. Coues considers the tail made up "normally of 14"' feath- 

 ers, but adds that the middle pair of coverts are usually reckoned as 

 rectrices. I am confident, however, that this extra pair are not coverts, 



but true rectrices. 



BONASA. 



Material examined: Four specimens of our eastern B. umbcllus and one of B. n. 

 togata, tlie gift of Mr William Clark, of Winnipeg, Manitoba. 



In its general pterylosis this genus, differs from Bendragapus in 

 having the dorsal apterium somewhat larger, and the lower cervical 

 tract forks very much farther up on 

 the throat. The branches of the 

 latter bear the "ruffs," which form a 

 peculiar tract on each side. There is 

 a small apterium on each side at the 

 base of the upper mandible, in front 

 of and below the eye. The feet are 

 only feathei ed down a short distance 

 in front. The rectrices are always 

 18 and the secondaries 15 or IG, 

 somewhat fewer than in other grouse. 

 Nitzsch's observations agree entirely 

 with mine. 



ml 



'• 





Fig. 4.— Special neck tracts of Bonasa. 

 a, Seen from below, h, Seen from the 



SIDE. 



TYMPANUCHUS. ■ 



Material examined : Two tine specimens 

 of T. aniericanus, for which I am in- 

 debted to Mr. Carl F. Hemming, of 

 Boone, Iowa. 



The general pterylosis is almost 

 precisely like Demi ra gap us, but the 

 dorsal apterium is smaller and the 

 upper cervical tract is very narrow. 



The latter bears on each side a conspicuous tuft of about a dozen large 

 feathers, which form a very evident and characteristic tract, under- 

 neath which is a large and peculiar apterium. The apteria over the 

 eyes are small. The feet are feathered to the base of the toes. The 

 hdolv-shaped tract on the side is quite conspicuous. The tail consists 

 of 18 feathers and there are 18 secondaries, as recorded by Nitzsch for 

 T. cupido. 



PEDIOC^TES 



Material examined: Four specimens of P. pliasianellus columbianus. 



General pterylosis seems to approach that of Bonasa, but there are 

 no special tracts on the sides of the neck and the feet are feathered 

 clear down on the toes in front. The tracts on the sides under the 



