•:!!■ 



128 



GAME BIRDS Of NORTH AMERICA. 



on trees. I think, however, this is a common habit of 

 all Sharp-tailed Grouse if they happen to be in a country 

 where trees abound, and it is a very usual occurrence in 

 winter, or early in the morning durinj^ the autumn, to 

 see numbers of Grouse standing or sitting upon tiiu 

 branches. When flushed they always cackle as they rise, 

 and fly swiftly in a straight line, alternately sailing alonj^ 

 and then flapping the wings with a few quick, short 

 strokes. They are able to go long distances without 

 stopping, but, as a rule, when not much hunted, they 

 alight after making a short flight. As the country be- 

 comes settled this Grouse is more seldom met with, as 

 it retires to the wilder portions of the land, for, unlike 

 the Pinnated Grouse, it is a bird of the wilderness and 

 shuns man's habitations. 









* ^ w''i!'|!;!i 



I. ■": 



PEDICECETES PHASIANELLUS COLUMBIANUS. 



Geographical Distribtttion. — Eastern Rocky Mountains, from 

 Montana and Wyoming to Oregon and Washington, then north- 

 ward west of mountains to Central Alaska. 



Adult Male. — Upper parts, grayish buff, with but a little of 

 the rusty hue (this, if present, confined to the middle of tlie 

 back), and barred, mottled, and occasionally blotched with black; 

 the white markings and spots on scapulars and wings not so con- 

 spicuous as in the previous species, when contrasted with the 

 hue of the general plumage; throat and sides of face pale buff, 

 with a cluster of brown spots on the cheeks; breast, light huff, 

 rest of under parts and flanks, white, all with longitudinal lines 

 of blackish brown, sometimes rounded at the tip, sometimes in- 

 clined to aV-shape; lengthened central tail feathers, like the 

 rump, lateral ones grayish v, hite, barred with blackish brown, es- 

 pecially on outer webs; under tail-coverts, white barred with black- 

 ish brown, chiefly on the outer webs ; legs, covered to the toes 

 with brownish white feathers ; maxilla, horn color ; mandible, 

 brownish white. Total length, about 15^ inches; wing, 7|; tail, 4J. 



Adult Female. — Closely resembles the male, but the central 

 tail feathers barely extend beyond the lateral ones. 



