TETBA ONIB^ — TETBA ONIN^ : GEO USE. 



583 



FiG. 399. — Foot of Prairie Hen, nat, size. (Ad nat. del. EC.) 



overlap to some extent. Fonnerly ranged in all the prairie of Minnesota, Michigan, and Iowa, 

 but is pushed westward by the grain-fields — the same carrying cupido along. Eggs 5-10-1'i- 

 13, in June; grayish-olive or drab-colored, uniformly dotted with brown points, rarely larger 

 than a pin-head; always quite difl'erent from those oi cupido ; 1.60 to 1.80 long by 1.20 to 1.30 

 br(5ad; average 1.75X1-25. A fine game and table bird, in aU respects like cupido. 

 207. CUPIDO'NIA. (Name derived from cupido, which see below.) Pin-negk Grouse. Neck 

 with a peculiar tuft on each side of loose, lengthened, acuminate feathers, like little wings 

 beneath which is 

 a circular patch of 

 bare, yellow skin, 

 capable of great 

 distension, like the 

 half fif a small or- 

 auge. Plead with 

 a .flight soft crest. 

 Tarsi scant-feath- 

 ered to the toes in 

 front and on sides, 



bare on a strip behind; toes extensively webbed at base. Tail short, rounded, of 18 broad 

 stilEsh feathers, with obtusely rounded ends. Sexes nearly alike in size, form, and color ; 

 plumage below barred transversely. One species, 2 varieties, of prairie, perfectly terrestrial. 



Analysis of Varieties. 

 The Common bird. Tarsal feathers hiding the bare strip. Dark bars above black, and broad ; top ot 



head mostly blackish _ ciuililo Si- 



Texas BIRD. Tarsi very scant-feathered, the bare strip exposed. Dark bars above brown and narr.)w ; 



top of head little blackish pallidicinctus 664 



563. C. cupl'do. (The tufts on the neck likened to conventional " cupid's wings." Figs. 399, 400.) 



Pinnated Grouse. 

 n^fei , ■'! C-3^ Prairie Hen. ,? 9 : 



Above, variegatod with 

 black, brown, tawny, 

 or ochrey, and white, 

 the latter especially 

 on the wings; below, 

 pretty regularly barred 

 with dark bronm, 

 white, and ta'iTny ; 

 throat tawny, a little 

 speckled, or not ; vent 

 and crissum mostly 

 white; quills fuscous, 

 with white spots on 

 the outer webs ; tail 

 fuscous, with narrow 

 or imperfect white or 

 tawny bars and tips ; 

 sexes alike in color, 

 but 9 smaller, with shorter neck tufts. Length 16.00-18.00 ; extent about 28.00 ; wing 

 8.00-9.00; tail about 4.50; tarsus rather over, middle toe and claw rather under, 2.00; neck- 

 tufts 2.00-3.50 inches long. This well-known bird formerly ranged across the United States, 





Fig. 400. — Prairie Hen. (From Lewis.) 



