Sh 



rp-tailed grouse (Pedioecelts phasianellus probably columbianus). Reproduced from a photograph by 

 the author of Audubon's plate. The male is in advance of the female. 



The sharp-tailed grouse found around 

 Hudson's Bay was, as long ago as 1758, first 

 designated by Linnaeus (Syst. Nat. ed. 10, I. 

 160, Tetrao phasianellus), and it is stated 

 that Lewis and Clark, in 1805-6, were the 

 discoverers of the Columbian sharp-tailed 

 grouse; if they furnished Audubon with his 

 material, the birds in Figure 16 are of that 

 subspecies. If he got them from Richardson, 

 they are probably phasianellus, but I have 

 not the data at hand to settle this point at 

 the present time. It was Lewis and Clark 

 who noted that the scales in the summer 

 time come off the toes in these grouse, 

 which is an interesting fact. In all the forms, 

 the female is smaller than the male, and the 

 tints of her plumage paler. Pullets and 

 chicks have special plumages for description, 

 but our space will not admit of giving such 

 information here. 



In the adults, the tail of this grouse will 

 at once suggest the genus to which it belongs 

 on account of the elongated, two central 

 feathers with their square ends, as shown 

 in the Figure. So it remains only to furnish 

 data, by means of which one can determine the 

 subspecies. In this, one will be helped by 

 knowing where the specimen or specimens 

 were shot, that is, the range. Further 

 assistance will be found in making a com- 

 parison with the birds in Figure 16, which, 

 as a matter of fact, presents the remarkable 

 plumage markings of this grouse, apart 

 from the question of color. It is on account 



of the blacks, browns, dusky shades, buffs, 

 white, grays, tawny, and the rest for colors 

 found in the plumages of this group of grouse 

 and the markings on the feathers in various 

 parts of the plumage, as spots, "V-shaped 

 marks," streaks, bars, irregular dots; U-shaped 

 spots, "sharp-angled -stars," speckles, "gutti- 

 form spots," etc., that furnishes the reason 

 why authors have been compelled to give us 

 such lengthy descriptions of the appearance 

 of the established forms, in so far as the 

 plumages are concerned. 



Ridgway, in his "Manual," does not 

 mention how many feathers compose the 

 tail in a sharp-tailed grouse; Audubon says 

 there are 16, and Coues, in his "Key," says 

 18, which is correct, the two elongated 

 middle feathers being colored above like 

 the back. Audubon probably overlooked 

 them, counted 8 on either side, and hence 16. 



Coues, in describing the male and female 

 of the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (P. p. 

 colu mbianus) , says that the "Upper parts 

 closely and pretty evenly variegated with 

 blackish-brown, reddish-brown, and grayish- 

 brown, the pattern smallest on rump and 

 lower back, where the blackish is mostly in 

 sharp-angled stars; the reddish most con- 

 spicuous on upper back, and both the lighter 

 colors everywhere finely sprinkled with black- 

 ish. Wing-coverts like upper back, but with 

 numerous conspicuous rounded white spots, 

 one on end of each feather. Crown and back 

 of neck nearly like back, but in smaller 



