588 



SYSl'EMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — GALLING — ALECTOBOPODES. 



the saine iiidividuals ; ;iiid birds taken at dili'crent dates in the summer, in the same Uicahty, 

 may difi'er frdui one another more than specimens from different regions, representing several 

 alleged varieties, are always found to do. The American bird, in 

 fact, is scarcely distinguishable from the European L. mutus or aljiinus. 

 The Greenland bird lias been called L. reinhardti by Brehm. That 

 of the Aleutian Islands, L. mutus atkensis, Turner. The latter is 

 said to liave the bill and claws about 0.10 longer than usual. 

 570. L. leucu'rus. (Gr. Xevnos, kiicos, white ; ovpd, oura, tail. Fig. 405.) 

 White-tailed 1'takmigan. JRocky Mountain Snow Grouse. 

 (J 9 , in winter : Entirely snow-white ; bill black, rather slender, and 

 general size and proportions nearly as in L. rupestris. (J ? , in sum- 

 mer : Tail, most of the wing, and lower parts 

 fi'om the breast, remaining while; rest of the 

 plumage minutely marked with black, white, 

 and tawny or grayish-brown, varying in pre- 

 cise character almost witli evei-y specimen ; but 

 there is no difficulty in recognizing this white- 

 tailed species, of alpine distribution in West- 

 em N. A. from the Arctic regions to New 

 Mexico (hit. 37°). In summer, inhabits the 

 mountain ranges from timber-line to the high- 

 est peaks, in winter ranging lower down. 

 Eggs very different from the heavily-painted 

 ones of L. albus, of dull creamy complexion, 

 minutely dotted over tlie whole surface with 

 burnt-sienna, few of tlie markings exceeding 

 a pin's head in size, and not tliick enougli 

 to obscure the ground-color ; shape purely 

 ovoidal, greatest diameter near the middle ; size 1.70 X l-H ; number variable, about a dozen. 



53. Subfamily ODONTOPHORIN/E : American Partridges and Quails. 



Head completely feathered, and usually crested, 

 the crest frequently assuming a remarkable shape. 

 Nasal fossiB not fiUed with feathers, the nostrils 

 covered with a naked scale. Tarsi and toes naked, 

 the latter scarcely or not fringed, the former scu- 

 tellate. Size smaller than in Tetraonince. 



Our Partridges may be distinguished, among 

 American Gallinm, by the foregoing characters, but 

 not from those of the Old World ; and it is higlily 

 improbable that, as a group, they are separable from 

 all the forms of the latter by any decided peculiari- 

 ties. The principal supposed character, namely, a 

 toothing of the under mandible, is very faintly 

 indicated in some forms, and entirely wanting in 

 Fig. 406. — European Partridge. (From Dixon.) others. Pending final issue, however, it is expe- 

 dient to recognize the group, so strictly limited geographically, if not otherwise. Several 

 beautiful and important genera occur within our limits, but these Partridges are most numerous _ 

 in species in Central and South America. Odontoplwrus is the leading genus, with perhaps 

 1.5 species; Eiipsychortyx and Dend/rortyx are other extra-limital forms; and in all, some 



Fig. 405. — Wliite-taileil Ptarmigan ; upper, in sum- 

 mer; lower, in winter. (From Hayden.) 



