570 SHARP-TAILED GROUS. 
the Platte (Lorimie’s Fork), he found this species breeding, and that 
as an article of food it proved to be a very well-flavoured and plump 
bird, considerably superior to any of the other larger species that oc- 
cur in the United States. j 
Terrao PuastanEeLins, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 273.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ti. 
p. 635.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 127. 
Tretrrao PHastaNELLUS, SHARP-TAILED Grous, Ch. Bonaparte, Amer. Ornith. 
vol. iil. p. 37, pl. 19. 
Terrao (cENTROCERCUS) PHAs1ANELLUS, Swains. Sharp-tailed Grous, Richards. and 
Swains. Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 361. 
SHaArP-TAILED Grovus, Nuttall, Manual, vol. i. p. 669. 
Adult Male. Plate CCCLXXXII. Fig. 1. 
Bill short, strong, as broad as high ; upper mandible with the dor- 
sal line arcuato-declinate, the ridge narrow at the base on account of 
the great extent of the nasal sinus, which is feathered, the sides con- 
vex toward the end, the edges overlapping and thin, the tip declinate 
and blunt, but thin-edged ; lower mandible with the angle of moderate 
length and width, the dorsal line ascending and convex, the edges sharp 
and inclinate, the tip obtuse. . 
Head rather small, oblong; neck of moderate length; body full. 
Feet rather short, stout ; tarsus roundish, feathered, bare and reticu- 
lated behind. Toes of moderate size, with numerous scutella above, 
but covered over at the base by the hair-like feathers which grow from 
the sides and the intervening basal membranes, laterally pectinate with 
long slender projecting flattened scales ; first toe small, second a little 
longer than fourth, third much longer. Claws slender, arched, mode- 
rately compressed, rather obtuse ; that of the third toe with the inner 
edge dilated. 
Plumage dense, soft, rather compact, the feathers in general broadly 
ovate ; those on the head and upper part of the neck short, but some on 
the upper and hind part of the former elongated and forming a slight crest. 
There is a papillate coloured membrane over the eye, as in the other 
species ; and on each side of the neck is a large bare space, concealed 
by the plumage, which I have no doubt is inflated, as in Tetrao Cupido 
and 7. Urophasianus, during the love season. Wings rather short, 
concave, much rounded ; the primaries stiff and very narrow, so as to 
leave large intervals when the wing is extended ; the third quill longest, 
; 
. 
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