96 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



34. Tympanuchus pallidicinctus (RIDGWAY). 



LESSER PRAIRIE HEN. 



Cupidonia cupido var. pcdlidicincta RIDGWAY, Bulletin Essex Institute, v, December, 



1873, lO'.i. 

 Tympanuchus pallidicinctus RIDGWAY, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, vm, 



1885, 355. 



(B , C 384a, R 477a, C 564, U 307.) 



GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE : Southwestern parts of Kansas and western Indian Terri- 

 tory, western (and southern ?) Texas. 



The breeding range of the Lesser Prairie Hen, a smaller, paler-colored 

 species than T. americanus, is not as well known as could be desired, and as 

 far as our present knowledge goes includes southwestern Kansas, the west- 

 ern parts of Indian Territory as well as portions of northwestern and 

 perhaps southern Texas. The latter locality is based on the statement of 

 Asst, Surg. James C. Merrill, U. S. Army, who says, in his Notes on the 

 Ornithology of Southern Texas (pp. 159, 160): "I am informed by a person 

 perfectly familiar with the bird that the Prairie Chicken is occasionally seen 

 on the prairies of Miradores ranch, which is about 30 miles north of the 

 fort (referring to Fort Brown, Texas), and a few miles from the coast. This 

 is probably about the southernmost point in the range of this bird." This 

 statement is further confirmed by Lieut. Col. Lawrence S. Babbitt, U. S. 

 Ordnance Corps, who writes me under date of March 18, 1890, as follows: 

 "The Prairie Hen is not found in the immediate vicinity of San Antonio, 

 Texas, but exists in great numbers south and southeast and in limited num- 

 bers north and west from here, all at about an average distance of 100 

 miles from the above mentioned locality." 



It is possible, however, that this species may only be a winter resident 

 in southern Texas. Mr. William Lloyd, in his Notes on the Birds of West- 

 ern Texas, states: "Tympanuchus pallidicinctus. Lesser Prairie Hen. Winter 

 visitor; seen in October and November in Concho County and also in win- 

 ter on Middle Concho in Tom Green County. Abundant near Colorado City 

 on the Texas and Pacific Railroad. I believe this record extends the range 

 to the southwest. Westward it was abundant to the foothills of the Davis 

 Mountains. Said to have been driven from the Pan Handle counties by the 

 numerous prairie fires." 1 



The nesting habits of this species are undoubtedly similar in every respect 

 to those of Tympanuchus american-us. Mr. C. S. McCarthy found it breeding 

 abundantly 40 miles west of Fort Cobb, in the Indian Territory, he taking 

 not less than three nests with eggs on June 1, 1860. Presumably but one 

 brood is raised in a season. The number of eggs to a set is probably about 

 the same as that of the previously mentioned species. The three sets in the 



'Auk, Vol. iv, 1887, p. 187. 



