202 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



Their size is eighteen inches long by twenty-seven inches 

 across the wings : bill short, stout and curved, with the 

 upper mandible considerably overlapping the lower ; legs 

 feathered to the ankle ; feet of ordinary size ; toes covered 

 above with numerous small scales ; hind toes very short ; 

 claws moderately long, curved and concave beneath ; 

 feathers compact, those of the head and neck long and 

 flexible, with a continuation tapering to a crest on back of 

 head; on either side a tuft of fine long hackles, covering a 

 bare portion, which is orange-coloured in the males, and 

 dull brown in the females ; the wings short and much 

 rounded ; pin feathers hard and short ; tail short, and 

 composed of eighteen broad feathers ; bill dusky ; iris 

 yellow ; toes dull yellow ; claws bluish ; the neck and 

 upper portion of back dark brown, mixed with grey, getting 

 lighter beneath ; tail dirty brown, tipped with white, except 

 the middle feathers, which are mottled with a deep brown ; 

 and a dark line from mandible to eye, thence back to neck, 

 and a beautiful patch of soft slate-coloured feathers under 

 each wing, invaluable to the fly tyer, is a correct descrip- 

 tion of their appearance. 



The following are the events of a day's shooting on the 

 grand prairie, which occurred a few years since, and may be 

 considered as a sample of the average sport to be enjoyed 

 in the month of October. 



On rising from the breakfast-table we found the team 

 waiting. But few minutes were necessary to stow our traps, 

 and get under way. Near the confines of the village (Kent, 

 Indiana) we found birds, but our driver (who was a regular 

 Tom Draw) would not allow us to alight, insisting that we 



