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PEDIOCATES PHASIANELLUS, VAR. PHASIANELLUS (ELtI07). 
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 
Specific Character.—Prevailing colours, clear dusky black above and pure 
white beneath ; no buff about the head, upper parts variegated with transverse 
rather zig-zag spots of yellowish brown; scapular with broad elliptical longi- 
tudinal medial spots of pure white; wing coverts with large rounded and outer 
webs of primaries with smaller and more quadrate spots of pure white. Breast 
thickly covered with broad V shaped, and the sides with less numerous sagittate 
marks of uniform clear slaty or dusky. Legs densely feathered, the long hair- 
like feathers reaching beyond the claws, and completely hiding the toes. Throat 
thickly spotted with dusky. No appreciable difference in plumage between the 
SeXes. 
Length, J8 to 20 inches; wing, 8 to 9; middle feathers of the tail, 4 to 6 ; 
outer feathers, 14. 
Habitat.—British America from Hudson’s Bay territory, south to the northern 
shore of Lake Superior, and west to Alaska and British Columbia. 
Prof. Macoun says :—“ This is the prairie chicken of our western plains, 
the true prairie chicken not being observed here.” Dr. Coues, also says this is 
the prairie chicken of the whole North-West, usually oocurring where the 
Pinnated Grouse does not, although the habitats of the two species overlap to 
some extent. 
This bird is not reported in Ontario anywhere east of Sault Ste. Marie, 
where, as in the case of the Dusky Grouse, Mr. C. J. Bampton reports it as being 
occasionally seen on the market. It, however, becomes more abundant as you 
go west, for itis reported as being common near Winnipeg. Baird, Brewer, and 
Ridgeway, in their “ North American Birds,” say, “It is found in abundance on © 
the outskirts of the Saskatchewan plains and throughout the wooded districts of 
the fur countries, frequenting the open glades or low thickets, on the borders of 
lakes, especially where the forests have been partially cleared, perching on trees 
in the winter but keeping to the ground in the summer, and at all seasons met 
with in flocks of from ten to sixteen. They are said, early in spring, to select 
some level place, where a covey meets every morning and runs round in a circle 
of about twenty feet in diameter, so that the grass is worn quite bare. If anyone 
approaches this circle the birds squat close to the ground, but if not alarmed by 
too near approach they soon stretch out their necks to survey the intruder, and 
resume their circular course, some running to the right and others to the left, 
meeting and crossing each other. These “partridge dances” are said to last a 
month or more, or until the female begins to incubate. The hen is said to lay 
about thirteen eggs early in June, the nest being on the ground, formed of grasses 
lined with feathers. The eggs are of a dark tawny colour, minutely dotted with 
darker spots of brown.” | 
