—44— 



fan-like black tail, and puffing out the naked air-sacs on the 

 sides of his neck. He did not attempt to fly or to make any 

 effort to escape. 



On August 16, a female Richardson's grouse was taken on 

 the same hillside 



299. FRANKLIN'S GROUSE, Dendragapus franklinii 



(Dough) 



Franklin's grouse was common in the vicinity of Lake Mc- 

 Donald. A female with young about two weeks old was taken 

 on Mt. McDonald at an altitude of 7,500 feet. Other speci- 

 mens were taken near the lake. This grouse is the "fool hen" 

 of popular reputation, by which name it is very generally 

 known in this region. 



300 b. GRAY RUFFED GROUSE, Bonasa umbellus umbel- 

 hides (Dougl.) 



The gray ruffed grouse was found as a common resident of 

 the thickets near the lakes. At the time of our first observa- 

 tions, females with young just beginning to fly were frequently 

 flushed. When disturbed with her brood, the female some- 

 times utters a strange hissing noise, and running at her dis- 

 turber with inflated air-sacs and outspread wings, she pre- 

 sents a very peculiar appearance. At such times, when she 

 does not threaten the observer, she slinks among the bushes 

 uttering a cat-like "meow", which is a close counterpart of 

 the characteristic feline cry. Toward the close of the warm 

 July afternoons, these birds were most likely to be found near 

 the water's edge; at other honrs of the day, they generally re- 

 sorted to the clumps of small firs. 



Abundant in the swampy area between Swan River and 

 Flathead River, where several broods were noted in June; also 

 on the ridges east of the lake, where several families were 

 found. By the first of August, young birds were taking 

 to the trees and higher bushes when disturbed. 



308 a. COLUMBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, Pedio- 



caetes pliasinnellus Columbian us (Ord.) 



This grouse was observed in the meadows near Crow Creek, 

 where it appeared to be common as elsewhere in the cultivated 



