GROUSE-QUAIL— THRUSH-BUNTING-CUCKOOS-GREENLEE-WARBLER. 



178 



Grande. He says it proved to be wary and difficult to approach 

 in the daytime; but by watching to see where they roosted, 

 and visiting them by moonlight, one or two could generally be se- 

 cured. They generally preferred roosting in high Cottonwood 

 trees, on the banks of a stream, perching as high up as possible. 

 He once saw eleven Turkeys on one large bough of a Cottonwood 

 tree, on the Medina. When the pecan-nuts are ripe, the Turkeys 

 become very fat, as they are extremely fond of these nuts, which 

 are very oily. One very plump bird was found, after it had been 

 dressed, to weigh sixteen pounds. The Mexicans on the Upper 

 Rio Grande sometimes domesticate the Wild Turkey. Mr. Dres- 

 ser saw two that had been caught when quite young, that became 

 very tame. 



The food of Turkeys consists of pecan-nuts, wild grapes, grass, 

 various kinds of plants, corn and other grain ; also, fruit, seeds, 

 beetles, small lizards, tadpoles, etc. 



Dusky Grouse ; Gray Grouse ; Blue Grouse ; Pine Grouse ; Spruce Par- 

 tridge. (Tetrao obsczirus.) 



Fig. 3- 



Mr. Trippe gives the following interesting account of this species : 

 "The * Gray Grouse,' as this species is universally called, is a 

 rather common bird throughout the mountains, from the foot-hills 

 up to timber-line, and, during summer, wanders at times above the 

 woods as high as the summit of the range. Excepting for a brief 

 period in August and September, it rarely approaches the vicinity 

 of clearings, frequenting the dense pine forests, and showing a 

 preference for the tops of rocky and inaccessible mountains. In 

 its nature, in short, it is the exact counterpart of the Ruffed Grouse, 

 having the same roving, restless disposition ; living upon the same 

 diet of buds and berries ; frequenting the same rugged, craggy 

 mountain haunts ; and, like that bird, is more or less solitary in its 

 habits, and constantly moving from place to place on foot. Its food 

 consists principally of the leaves and berries of various species of 

 Ericaca, which abound in all its haunts. It is also very fond of 

 grasshoppers and all kinds of insects, and, while the snow lies deep 

 upon the ground, lives for the most part upon the buds and tender 

 leaves of the pines. When the grain is cut in the valleys, the 

 Grouse are frequently to be found, in the stubble-fields and adja- 

 cent coverts, in small flocks of three or four up to eight or ten. 

 They are then so tame as to be easily approached and killed, but 

 later in the season become somewhat wilder, though never very shy. 

 They never gather in large flocks, like the Pinnated and Sharp- 

 tailed Grouse, more than a single family being rarely found to- 

 gether. The brood separate as soon as they are well grown, and, 

 from the middle or close of autumn until the succeeding pairing 

 season, the Gray Grouse is usually found alone. On being sud- 

 denly startled, this bird takes wing with great rapidity, sometimes 

 uttering a loud crackling note, very much like that of the Prairie 

 Hen on similar occasions, frequently alighting on the lower limb 

 of a tree after flying a little way, and watching the intruder with 

 out-stretched neck. Sometimes they will fly up to the top of a tall 

 pine and remain hidden in the thick foliage for a long time ; nor 

 will they move or betray their position, although sticks and stones 

 are thrown into the tree, or even a shot fired. Late in summer 

 many of them ascend to the upper woods to feed upon the multi- 

 tude of grasshoppers that swarm there in August and September, 

 in the pursuit of which they wander above timber-line, and may 

 sometimes be met with in great numbers among the copses of willows 

 and juniper that lie above the forests. 



" The flight of the Gray Grouse is rapid and powerful. Its flesh 

 is white and tender, resembling that of the Ruffed Grouse. In all 

 respects it seems to fill the same place in the mountain fauna of 

 Colorado that is occupied by the latter bird among the mountains 

 of New England and the Middle States." 



Texas Quail. (Ortyx virginianus, var. texanus^) 



Fig. 4. 



This bird is a Southern Texas and Valley of the Rio Grande 

 variety of the typical species, represented on Plate XXVII, 

 page 28. 



Alice's Thrush ; Gray-cheeked Thrush. (Turdus sivainsom, var. alicia.) 



Fig. 5- 



$ 



This is a variety of the typical species, represented on Plate 

 CXIV, fig. 24, page 173. Its distribution or habitat is about the 

 same. 



Henslow's Bunting. (Coturniculus henslowi.) 



Fig. 6. 



The distribution of this Bunting is eastward to Massachusetts, 

 and westward to the Loup Fork of Platte. In Florida, Audubon 

 met with it in winter, they were in great numbers in all the pine bar- 

 rens of that state ; in light and sandy soil, and in woods but thinly 

 overgrown by tall pines. They never alight on trees, but spend 

 their time on the ground, running with great rapidity through the 

 grass, in the manner of a mouse. Mr. Maynard describes their 

 song-note as like the syllables see-wick, the first syllable prolonged, 

 the latter given quickly. 



Mangrove Cuckoo. (Coccyzus seniculus.) 



Fig. 7. 



Mr. Nuttall was the first of our naturalists to include this species 

 among our North American birds. He mentions it as an inhabi- 

 tant chiefly of Cayenne, and as an occasional visitor to the more 

 Southern States. Mr. Audubon only obtained specimens of it in 

 Florida and Key West. He says it is a regular summer visitor to 

 those places. 



Black-billed Cuckoo. (Coccyzus erytkrophthalmus.) 



Fig. 8. 



This bird is common to most all parts of North America, and is 

 generally accompanied by its relative, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 

 represented on Plate XXVIII, fig. 1, page 30. These birds are 

 often confounded by persons who have not become familiar with 

 them. Its habits are much like the last named. 



Brotherly-love Vireo; Philadelphia Greenlet. (Vireo fhiladelphicus^) 



Fig. 9. 



This rare bird was discovered by Cassin, in September, 1851, 

 near Philadelphia. It was in the upper branches of a high tree, 

 in a woods, capturing insects, supposed to be resting while on its 

 southern migration. 



Nashville Warbler. (Helminthophaga ruficapilla.) 

 Fig. 10. 



In 181 1, Wilson met with this bird near Nashville, Tennessee. 

 It is a common bird of Eastern North America. Mr. Allen met it 

 at Springfield, Massachusetts, and says it is abundant in May and 

 in the early part of autumn. Arrives May 1st to 5th, and for two 

 or three weeks is a common inhabitant of the orchards and gar- 

 dens, actively gleaning insects among the unfolding leaves and 



