PRAIRIE HEN; PINNATED GROUSE 

 305. Tympanuchus americanus. 18 in. 



Tufts of neck feathers rounded or square at the 

 ends, long on the males, and short on the females. 

 Above, barred with brownish-black and white or buffy 

 white, the bars being of about equal width; top of 

 head barred black and grayish. Female differs from 

 the male in having the tail feathers barred, whereas 

 they are black in the male. Found locally throughout 

 the prairie regions of the Mississippi Valley north to 

 Manitoba. Owing to the immense numbers shot for 

 sale in eastern markets, they have become exterminated 

 in many places where they were formerly abundant. Male 

 birds have a loose sac or naked skin beneath the tufts 

 of feathers on the neck; they inflate these to the size of 

 small oranges, and then produce a loud, hollow, reso- 

 nant booming sound. 



Nest. Anywhere on the ground on the prairie; eggs 

 olive-buff, finely specked with brown. 



Range. From La. and Tex. north to Manitoba and 

 Dakota. 305. Attwater Prairie Hen, smaller and 

 darker, is found in Louisiana and Eastern Texas. 



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