IN I RODUCTIOX. 



XV 



The three subfamilies — PekdiciN/K, Oiiontopiio- 

 KiN.i:, and TktkaoniN/K — ciimprisiiifj the family Te- 



K.\oNn>/i:, are known in ornitholnj^ical lanjjuape as the 

 Alc'ctoropodous (Greek ilAeKTojp, doctor, a cock -|- itoikt, 

 |)()iis. a foot) (Jallina\ or, to translate it freely, fowl- 

 f(M»ted p^allinaceous birds, characterized by havinp^ the 

 liiiid toe raised above the plane of the front toes and clear 

 r)f the p^round; differinp^ in this respect from the other 

 section of the order, the pip;^eon-footed ^gallinaceous birds, 

 ni I'eristeropodous (Greek Tcpio-Tcpfi, peristera, a pigeon, 

 -|- TToi'rr, pons, a foot) (iallince, which have the four toes 



>tinjT^ on the ground, all on an ecjual plane. The 



irouse are distinguished from all members of the order 

 r)y having the tarsus, or shank, covered with feathers 

 fiiore or less completely, sometimes even the toes are 

 hidden, resembling in this respect certain rapacious 

 hirds, such as Owls and a few species of Mav.>»\-. and 

 |{agles. As they are mostly inhabitants of countr'?s 

 ^vlicre the winters are usually long and severe, this pro- 

 vision of nature affords additional and especial protec- 

 tion against the cold, and guards those parts that are 



)articularly cposed from the danger of becoming frozen 

 uid probably lost or rendered useless. 

 Tile members of the subfamily Tetraonin.ii: have 



Tiany characters that distingush them from other birds, 

 |iot the least of which is the gracefully shaped and thor- 



)itgiily game-like head, high in the rear, or occipital 

 [■cgion, with a broad and ample brain case, sloping gradu- 

 illy forward and contracting toward the junction with the 

 rurvcd and usually powerful bill. The brain is large for 

 [lie size of the birds, and it bestows upon them unusual 

 Intelligence, as shown in their cunning, ability to adapt 

 [hcmselves to their surroundings, and fertility of re- 

 sources in avoiding danger. A Quail, Grouse, or Tur- 





