286 AMERICAN GAME. 



the whole way down the -shank, to the insertion of the 

 toes ; and r the same is the case of the Canada Grouse, or 

 Spruce Partridge of the remote Eastern States. In all 

 those species of Grouse, which are known as Ptarmigan, 

 dwellers of the extreme north, or in the northern tem- 

 perature of iced mountain-tops, the feathering continues 

 the whole length of the toes quite to the insertion of the 

 claws this I merely mention par parenthese, as there is 

 but one of the Ptarmigans likely to fall within reach of 

 the sportsman; namely, the Willow Grouse, or Bed- 

 Necked Partridge of the extreme parts of Maine, and 

 the Easternmost British provinces, and thence so far as 

 to the Arctic Circle. 



These distinctions are easily borne in mind, and will 

 be found all-sufficient to the discriminating woodsman, 

 who desires to be able to call things by their right names, 

 and to give a reason for doing so. 



The true Pheasant is a native of Asia originally, 

 though it has been naturalized in Europe, since a very 

 early period, and is now abundant in France and Eng- 

 land. ]STo species of this bird, which is distinguished by 

 a pointed tail above half a yard in length, and by its 

 splendidly gorgeous coloring, little inferior in intensity 

 to that of the Peacock, has ever been found, or is 

 believed to exist in any portion of the Western hemis- 

 phere ; although those singular and showy birds, the 

 Curapoas of South America, have some relation to it. 



The same is true of the real Partridge ; although the 



