I 20 Bexdire, Tympanuchus americanus attxvateri. f April 



No doubt Colinus frequently assumes just the attitude there 

 exhibited. 



At different times I have expressed myself in this journal upon 

 the question of the value of photographs of living birds to the 

 ornithologist, to the taxidermist, and to the artist, — so it will 

 obviate the necessity of my repeating those remarks here. 



The kind of photographs to which I had reference are very 

 well exemplified in the Plates illustrating the present contribu- 

 tion, — but how rarely do we yet find them ! Most of the 

 attempts I have seen published are of little or no use whatever 

 to the scientist in any department, and even the results them- 

 selves are far from pleasing. During my recent studies a vast 

 number of these have been submitted to me for my inspection, 

 and, if possible, use. There has not been one result in fifty of 

 any practical value, and I have been obliged to lay them aside. 

 What we are after is to get absolutely true pictures of the forms 

 of birds, and such pictures as can be used. More examples 

 than I have been enabled to give in this article will shortly 

 appear in my work on 'Scientific Taxidermy' in the next 'Report 

 of the Smithsonian Institution,' now in press. 



TYMPANUCHUS AMERICAN US ATTWATERI 



BENDIRE. ATTWATER'S OR SOUTHERN 



PRAIRIE HEN. 



BY CHARLES E. BENDIRE. 



Since my preliminary description of this bird in 'Forest and 

 Stream' (Vol. XL, No. 20, May 18, 1893, p. 425) I have ex- 

 amined considerable additional material and am now compelled 

 to consider it as only a well marked race of T. a?nericanus. Its 

 subspecific characters are as follows : — 



Smaller than T. americanus, darker in color, more tawny above, usually 

 with more pronounced chestnut on the neck; smaller and more tawny 



