72 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



ones more tinged with brown. Quills and larger coverts, black- 

 ish brown, the outer edges of the primaries pale brownish gray, 

 and those of the secondaries minutely mottled with the same. 

 Tail coverts brownish black, minutely mottled and tipped with 

 grayish white ; tail feathers darker, and tipped with dull brown- 

 ish red- Lower parts black, the feathers on the throat having 

 a white spot near the end ; those of the lower and lateral parts 

 of the neck unspotted ; of the breast, with a broad, subterminal 

 spot, and the under tail coverts largely tipped with white. Inner 

 wing coverts above brown, the proximal and axillaries tipped 

 with white. 



' "Length, 155 inches; extent of wings, 21|; bill, along the 

 back,^; along the edge, ItV ; tarsus, 1^ ; w^eight, 17oz. 



" Adult female. 



" The female is not much smaller. The superciliary mem- 

 brane is much less, but of the same color. The upper parts are 

 nearly of the same tints, but more broadly barred ; the head, 

 sides of the neck, fore neck, and anterior parts of the breast, 

 yellowish gray, barred Avith brownish black ; the lower parts, 

 grayish black, barred with reddish white. The tail is minutely 

 tipped and mottled with brownish red. The younger females 

 have more of the yellowish red tints than the old ones. In other 

 respects, the coloring is nearly similar. 



" Length, 1 Si inches; extent of wings, 21 ; weight, looz." — 

 Audubon. 



Inasmuch as this rare and beautiful little species of Grouse is 

 almost entirely unknown to our sportsmen, as I have never 

 found any who have killed it, and very few who are aware of 

 its existence ; and as, with a single exception, I have never but 

 once shot it, though I have on several occasions tried for it in 

 the State of Maine, on the waters of the Penobscot, I cannot 

 speak as to its habits or haunts with any certainty, from my own 

 , personal experience, or from the report of sportsmen. I am in- 

 clined to believe, however, that it is not a bird which will be 

 found to yield much sport, as I doubt its lying to setters or 



