628 



BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



Eandall, where it was first noticed, during the spring of 1873, about the 

 middle of April. 



EGTOPISTES MAOEUEA,* {Linn.) Coues. 



Wild Pigeon. 



Countless flocks of Wild Pigeons pervaded the atmosphere of the Eed 

 Eiver Valley during the latter part of May and early portion of June, 

 1873. We observed them continually during our voyage down the river, 

 and for some days afterward at Pembina, streaming through the air in 

 endless succession of flocks. They generally flew high, far beyond gun- 

 shot, but in early morning and just before nightfall often came low 

 enough to afl"ord a shot. The woods along the river were filled with the 

 stragglers, which of course could be easily secured. They breed here 

 in limited numbers, but no general "pigeon -roost" was formed in the 

 immediate vicinity. I took one nest, containing a single egg, June 13. 

 A few of the birds straggled westward to Turtle Mountain, where one 

 was shot in July. The next season none was seen in any part of the 

 Missouri or Milk Eiver region ; but in the Eocky Mountains the species 

 was again met with in small numbers, and a young bird, doubtless bred 

 here, was secured at Chief Mountain Lake. 



List of specimens. 



ZEN^DUEA CAEOLINENSIS, [Linn.) Bp. 

 Carolina Turtle Dove. 



Common at Pembina in June, and again observed the following season 

 on the Upper Missouri. 



TETEAO CANADENSIS FEANKLINI, [Bougl.) Coues. 



Pranklin's Spruce Grouse. 



This variety of the Canada Grouse or Spruce Partridge is characteristic 

 of the Northern Eocky Mountains, where it was seen, and where several 



*Columha viacroura Linn. SN. ed. x, 1758, 164. (Kalm, Beskrifning pade vilda Dtifvor, 

 Som somliga ar i sa otrolig stor mykenhet komroa til de Sodra Engelska 

 nybyggen i Norra America. <^ Kongl. Svenska Vetensk.-Acad. Handl. sx, 

 1759, pp. 275-295.— See also Catesby, pL 23; Edwards, pi. 15.) 



Ectopistes macrura Coues, BNW. 1874, 766.— Aughey, First Ann. Eep. U. S. Entom. 

 Comm. 1878, App. p. [46]. 



