BIRDS OP FERGUS COUNTY, MONTANA 25 



to their home-keeping affairs. The eggs are generally laid in the early part 

 of May, usually from the tenth or twelfth of the month, until the full set 

 is- deposited. This grouse is commonly known as "chicken" or "prairia 

 chicken." 



The nests of the sharp-tailed grouse that I have examined were in 

 tangled patches of low weeds or rose bushes near irrigating ditches, some- 

 times on the immediate borders of the ditch. Usually there is nothing to 

 mark the site of the nest, as it is made among upright stems where one 

 part of the environment looks much like any other part. 



The first nest of the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse that I ever found 

 was on May 19, 1900. It was in tangled weeds along a ditch, and was cov- 

 ered somewhat by fallen weed-stems, among rose-sprouts and grass. I 

 should not have "discovered it if it had not been revealed by the female. 

 She sat so closely that I was standing beside the nest, having partially 

 passed it, and I had turned to watch a sparrow singing in the adjacent 

 bushes, when she fluttered out of the grass at my feet. She fluttered 

 through the grass at one side, uttering the usual "kuh, kuh" cries of 

 alarm. The nest was in a depression bedded with dried grass, the ten eggs 

 being in two layers, seven below and the remainder in an upper row. The 

 lower part of the nest cavity was six inches in diameter and two inches 

 deep. The eggs were nearly fresh. Their prevailing color was that of 

 creamed coffee, and -several of them had a fresh bloom like that of ripening 

 plums. Most of the eggs were unmarked, the others having minute black 

 specks scarcely discernible. 



O.n May 24, 1900, I found a nest of this grouse, in a neglected weed- 

 patch beside a small water-course. The nest was in a depression among 

 upright sprouts, and was made of a few dried grasses, sparsely lined with 

 soft feathers. The cavity was eight inches by six inches, two inches deep. 

 There were eleven fresh eggs. 



On May 28, 1901, I found two nests of the Columbian sharp-tailed 

 grouse in a weed-patch, the nests being not more than a hundred yards 

 apart. Both were made of dried grass and scantily lined with feathers. 

 Each nest contained fourteen fresh eggs. On June 4, 1901, a nest was 

 shown me containing fifteen eggs, upon which the female was sitting so 

 closely that she might have been lifted from the nest. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts spotted and barred with 

 brown, black, and light tawny; lower parts white, with v-shaped spots; 

 length 15-19 inches. 



309. SAGE GROUSE. Centrocercus urophasianus. 



This resident of the sage brush region is found in abundance in 

 the eastern portions of tfTe county. Dr. J. A. Allen reports that they werg 

 more or less common along the Musselshell. Dr. Coues, in his "Birds of 

 Dakota and Montana," says that the sage grouse were not noticed west and 

 north of the mouth of Milk River, as the country there seems too open 

 for them. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts varied with gray, black, dull 

 yellowish,and white; front part of the throat spotted with black and white; 



