226 HISTORY OF THE 



shading into deep reddish rusty next to the black. Female: Similar, but with 

 shorter and inconspicuous cervical tufts. Youny: Above, including tail, yellow- 

 ish brown; feathers with conspicuous white shaft streaks and large blotches of 

 deep black. Outer webs of primaries with whitish spots. Top of head rusty 

 brown, with a black vertical and a dusky auricular patch. Lower parts yellow- 

 ish white, with irregularly-defined, transverse, grayish brown, broad bars; an- 

 teriorly more spotted, the jugulum tinged with brown. Chick: Bright lemon 

 buff, tinged on sides and jugulum with reddish; upper parts much washed with 

 rusty. A narrow auricular streak, blotched on the vertex and occiput, a stripe 

 across the shoulder, and blotches down the middle of the back and rump, deep 

 black." 



Stretch of 

 Length. -wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 18.25 29.50 9.00 4.25 1.80 .65 



Female... 17.25 28.00 8.50 3.90 1.75 .60 



Iris brown; bill and claws dark brown; feet yellowish. 



This familiar game bird inhabits our fertile prairies, seldom 

 frequenting the timbered lands, except during sleety storms, or 

 when the ground is covered with snow. Its flesh is dark, and 

 it is not very highly esteemed as a table bird. 



During the early breeding season they feed largely upon 

 grasshoppers, crickets and other forms of insect life, but after- 

 ward chiefly upon our cultivated grains, gleaned from the stub- 

 ble in autumn and the corn fields in winter; they are also fond 

 of tender buds, berries and fruits. They run about much like 

 our domestic fowls, but with a more stately carriage. When 

 flushed, rise from the ground with a less whirring sound than 

 the Ruffed Grouse or Bob-white, and their flight is not as swift, 

 but more protracted, and with less apparent effort, flapping and 

 sailing along, often to the distance of a mile or more. In the 

 fall the birds collect together, and remain in flocks until the 

 warmth of spring quickens their blood, and awakes the passions 

 of love; then, as with a view to fairness and the survival of the 

 fittest, they select a smooth, open courtship ground, (usually 

 called a "scratching ground,") where the males assemble at the 

 early dawn, to vie with each other in courage and pompous dis- 

 play, uttering at the same time their love call, a loud booming 

 noise; as soon as this is heard by the hen birds desirous of mating, 

 they quietly put in an appearance, squat upon the ground, appar- 

 ently indifferent observers, until claimed by victorious rivals, 

 which they gladly accept, and receive their caresses. I have 



