GALLINjE TETRAONIDiE — TETRAO. 205 



which it lays from six to twelve eggs of a dull brownish color. Its flight is rapid, but short, 

 and, when suddenly aroused, with a loud whirring noise, such as we have observed in the 

 Quail. It feeds on seeds and berries of various kinds, grapes, and other fruits. Their meat 

 is occasionally poisonous, which has been attributed to their feeding on the leaves of the 

 Kalmia. In the winter, they feed on the buds of various trees. 



The American Partridge has a wide geographical range. It ranges along the coast from 

 Mexico to the 56th parallel of latitude, and extends across the continent to the Pacific ocean. 



THE GROUSE, OR PINNATED GROUSE. 



Tetrao cupido. 



plate lxxvh. fig. 175. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



T'.trao cupido. Linn.*us, Syst. Nut. Vol. I, p. 274. Wilson, Am. Ornith. Vol. 3, p. 104, pi. 27, fig. 1 (male). 



Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. Nat. History, Vol. 2, p. 127. 

 T. id.. Pinnated Grouse. Nuttall, Manual Ornith. of U. S. Vol. I, p. C62. 

 T. id. Acdubon, Birds of Am. Vol. 5, p. 93, pi. 29G (male and female). Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 127. 



Characteristics. Subcrested, varied with bars of black and brown. Tail not banded. 

 Feet feathered to the toes. Sides of the neck with a tuft of elongated 

 feathers ; the skin beneath naked. Female, without this tuft. Length, 

 18-0. 



Description. Body robust. Head with its feathers somewhat elongated, and forming at 

 pleasure a slight erectile crest. A warty bare space over the eyes. Tail short and rounded. 

 Fourth quill longest. 



Color. Above blackish brown, with numerous undulating bands of light reddish. Wing- 

 coverts and secondaries lighter brown, and barred with reddish. Quills brownish, with the 

 shafts black. Head with the bare space over the eyes bright scarlet, and the bare space on 

 the sides of the neck orange. Throat and sides of the head cream-color. A dark longitudinal 

 stripe under the eye. The long cervical feathers varied with reddish and white above ; 

 beneath dark brown or black. Tail dark greyish brown, marked transversely with pale 

 reddish brown, slightly tipped with greyish. Female, smaller, and without the crest, cervical 

 feathers, and naked space beneath. 



Length, 16-0-18-0. 



This species is known under the various names of Grouse, Pinnated Grouse, Heath-hen* 

 and Prairie-hen, in different sections of the country. In this State, they are now almost 



* Various legislative enactments have been made for its preservation, hut without success. One of the acts of the Colonial 

 Legislature is said to have had this ludicrous title : " An Act for the preservation of the Heathen (Heath-hen) in this Colony." 



