TETBAONIIJJE-^TETKAONINJE: GBOUSE. 586 



565. B. umbel'la. (Lat. wmieHa, au umbel, mnbrellu,; '«(/i6ya, shade, shiiduw; alluding to the neck- 

 tufts. Figs. 401, 402.) Ruffed Grouse. '■ I'aiitiiitk(e ;" New England. "Pheasant;" 

 Middle and Suuthern States. $ ? : Above, variegated reddish- or grayish-brown, the bacli with 

 numerous, oblong, pale, black-edged sp<jts. Below, whitish, barred with br(.)wn. Tail brown 

 or gray, numerously and narrowly black-barred, M-itli a broad subterminal black zone, and 

 tipped with gray. The neck-ruffle of the $ uKjstly glossy black, and very fuU ; of the 9 

 smaller and more brown. The colors are endlessly varied as well as blended, and the prevailing 

 tone of the brown binls of the East shades insensibly into that of the Western varieties. 

 Length 16.00-18.00; extent 23.00; wing 7.00-8.00 ; tail about the same. A woodland bird, 

 like the species of Canace, abundantly distributed over Eastern North America ; in the U. S. 

 tt> the central plains ; in Brit. Am. to Alaska. It is well kuomi under the above names in 

 different sections; but it is neither a " partridge " nor a "pheasant," being, in fine, a Ruffed 

 Grfiuse. The " drumming" sound for which this bird is noted, is not vocal, as some suppos(^, 

 but is produced by rapidly beating the wings. Eggs very characteristic, from creamy white to 

 creamy buff, usually immaculate, sometimes minutely dotted ov even speckled with bro\\Ti ; they 

 resemble partridge eggs also in shape, which approaches the pyriform, broad and blunt at one 

 end, pointed at the other; size about 1.65 X 1.30. 



566. B. u. umbelloi'des. (Lat. umhella, as above defined, and Gr. eiSoi, eidos, resemblance.) 

 Gray Ruffed Grouse. A variety of the last, of very different tone of color in its extreme 

 development, but shading into the common Ruffed by insensible degrees in Brit. Am. Wlien 

 fully manifested, as follows : Lower back, rump, upper tail-covei-ts and tail slate-gray, with 

 little if any brown tinge; the feathers of the back and rump with light gray cordate or arrow- 

 headed spots narrowly bordered with black, the tail-feathers finely vermiculated with black, and 

 with a broad subterminal black zone. Ruffle glossy greenish-black. Under parts whitish, more 

 or less tinged with tawny-brown, with several broad brown cross-bars on each feather, largest 

 and most distinct on the long feathers of the sides, some of which have also white shaft lines ; 

 heavy feathers of flanks and vent mostly whitish, unmarked. Feathers of fore-neck and scap- 

 ulars blended with gray, rich reddish-brown, ochrey-brown, and white, in indescribable con- 

 fusion. Most of the wing-coverts with white shaft-lines. Hen with the ruffle less developed, 

 varied with brown and white. General tone more rufous than in the cock. Rocky Mt. region, 

 U. S., running into both the other varieties. 



567. B. sabi'nii. (To J. Sabine.) Red Ruffed Grouse. Oregon Ruffed Grouse. More 

 nearly resembling the common ruffed grouse, but the coloration more heavily brown, — darker 

 and richer. More blackish to the brown, and the latter almost chestnut in well-marked cases. 

 Pacific coast region, Oregon to Alaska. 



209. LAGO'PUS. (Gr. Xayoinovs, Imjopous, Lat. lagopus, hare-foot : the densely-feathered feet 

 resemble those of rabbits.) Ptarmigan. Snow Grouse. No peculiar feathers on head or 

 neck. Tarsi and toes densely feathered. Tail short, little rounded, normally of 14 broad 

 feathers, with long upper coverts, some of which resemble rectrices, the central pair of these 

 usually reckoned as rectrices, making 16. A naked red comb over eye. Boreal and alpine 

 grouse, shaped nearly as in Canace, remarkable for the seasonal changes of plumage, becoming 

 in winter snow-white (excepting the British insular race). There are only five or six species, 

 at most, and probably fewer; we certainly have the three here given. 



Analysis of Species. 

 Tail black at all seasons. 



The summer i)lumage mostly rich chestnut or orange-brown, and black. In winter, no black stripe 



on head. Bill stout jj, r-/.n 



„, , albus 568 



The summer plumage wholly brownish-yellow and black, except on wings and tail. In winter a black 



stripe on head. Bill slender „,pestris 569 



Tail white at all seasons. 



The summer plumage ochrey-brown and black. In winter entirely white leucunis 570 



