TETRAONID.E — THE GROUSE. ^29 



Centrocercus urophasianus, (J!on.) sw. 



SAGE-COCK ; COCK OF THE PLAINS. 



Triran iiroii/ifisi,,,,,)^, lioxAl'. /uol. .lour. HI, Jan. ]S28, 211. -- In. Am. Oin. HI, 1830 

 111. xxi, r. 1. -III. .M„ii. n/niu, in Tmn.s. Am. Phil. Soc. N. S. Ill isyo y<t(i -' 

 l)..iT,i,.is, Tnins. l,inn. S..c. XVI, 182!), IIW. - X.nT.vu., Man. I, 1832, U.i.i.'-An. 

 <>.n. liioy. IV, 1838, ;^(.3, ,,1. ,rd.vxi. _ In. IJinls AnuT. V. 1842, Km, ,,1. c.xcvii _ 

 .\i;wi.i:iii;v, Zunl Caj. & o,, i(,„„„, |.,.,, ,. ,. ,; j.,„,^, y,^ ^^.^ j^^.^^ ^^ ^^^^ 



Cal,. ,1. VI, 18.-i8, 431. - Wm.sun. Il|„st. 1831, ,,1. .xxvi, .x.xvii. yw„,„ ,r,,,,,„«.cv;.; 

 »nv</,„,sw„«,v, Sw. I.'. I5.,i-. Am. II, 1831, 3.W, pi. Iviii. - (;,t.vy, Cat. li. li.it M«s 



III, 4<i, 1844.- n.\ , liirds .N. Am. 1858, (124.- r,mv. & Siciil.. 222. -,Uiii) 



(iamc Hiids, Nat. I.ik IV, 140, |.l. .wii. — Ki.Mc.r, I'. A. X. S, lS(i4 — Ib 

 MonoK. 'IVtiaon. i.l.-(in.\Y, I'at. IJiit. .Mus. V, 18t;7, 87. -- (•oo|..'& Siru. 222. — 

 <'o')l'. Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, .-,3(>. ('a,/,wn-i(.s i,m/,/„'.wnu,.i, J.viiinxi;, Cam.' liinls, Xat 

 Lit.. Itinls, IV, 140, pi. .xvii. // 7V//v,» phmHiidhoi, Oiti), (iuthilr'.s (!,.,.«. (2a Am 

 e.l.) II, ISl.'i, 317, luiscd on Lewis & Clark, II, 181. Cock- u/ t/u- I'/uhH, Uwi.s & 



(-'I..\1!K, II, 180, Sp. 2. 



Sp. Cmak Tail-ll.aliu.i-s twenty. Ahovc vari...! with hlack, i;iavisli-l,row.i, an.l 

 MowM,si-y..llnw ; .ovort.. havi,,.^- all tin. h.atlM.rs ..troak.Ml with the latter, lienoafh 

 Lad<; th,.|,r..a.stwl>,l,.; th.M,,,,„.r li'alluM.s with spiny ..halLs ; the lower streaked with 

 nlaek; tail-e„vertswilli white tips; Hie si,le« also with niueii white. Afale. Len.'th ;!;iOO- 

 WM,n, i;j,.U; tail, l;!.00. Fe>nal.. Length. 21. 5(); winj,, 10.75; tail, 7.50. C/M 

 ( pper suHaee hrownish-f^ray, lower .rayish-whi.e. Above irre^jularly an.l eoarsely 

 niarl.le.l with hiaek, the markings most .■oiispieiious on the head. Bill black. 

 II.M). Artemisiti, or sa<,'e, plains of tiie .Vorthwest. 



irAitiT.s. Tlie Cock of tlie Plains aj^peair, to bo confined to dry and 

 steiilo regions, from tlie Black Hills to Calitornia and Ore-on and from 

 15ntisl. (/olnnil.ia nearly to xVrizona, but only in tbo.se portio.is of' the jjlaius 

 111 which the Arfnmsi,,, or saoe, abounds. It ,\va.s met with by .Townsend 

 ior the first tiniA about fifty miles west of the Black Hills. He did not find 

 them 111 the valley of the Snake Iii\er, but .saw them aj-ain at Wallah-W^il 

 lull, on the banks of the Columbia, and near the mouth of tlie Lewis h'iver 

 He only found it on the ].lains that produce the wormwood, on which plant 

 It feeds, and in consequence of which the flesh becomes .so bitter that it is 

 unfit for food. It was very unsuspicious and easily approached, rarely flyin- 

 unless hard pressed, and running ahead at the distance of a few feet cluck" 

 ing like the common Hen. When disturbed, it would often run under the 

 horses leet. According to his account it rises very clumsily, but, when 

 once started, flies with great rapidity and also to a great distance. It is said 

 to have the sailing motion of the Pinnated Grouse. They are abundant in 

 autumn on the branches of the Columbia, at which time they are regarded 

 as good food by the natives, and are taken in great tpiantities in nets. 



Mr Nuttall met with this (}rouse in considerable minibers on the north 

 l.mncii of the Platte. They were always on the ground in small flocks or 

 pan-s, by no means shy; but when too nearly approached, uttering a rather 

 luud but short guttural cackle, and rising with a strong whirring sound 



