446 BIEDS — TETRAONID^. 



tawny a little speckled, or not; vent and oriasum mostly white; qnills 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 the female smaller with shorter neck-tnfts. 

 Length, 16-18 ; wing, 8-9 ; tail, about 5. 



Habitat, fertile prairie country of the United States, nearly to eastern foot-hills of the 

 Eocky Mountains in some latitudes — especially Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, eastern half of 

 Minnesota, Southeastern Dakota, Middle and Eastern Kansas and Nebraska, Arkansas and 

 Eastern Texas. Var. pallidicinctus from Western Texas. Still lingers in certain localities 

 in the Middle States and New England. 



Rare resident in Northwestern and Central Ohio. Probably breeds. 

 In the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club (1. c.) I noted the 

 capture of the only specimen taken in this county for many years, as 

 follows : 



" A male Pinnated Grouse was killed by a gunner, seven miles west of Columbus, 

 November 16, 1878. By the kindness of Mr. A. B. Stevenson, who purchased the bird, 

 the skin is now in my collection. As loug ago as 1838 Dr. Kirtland wrote : ' The Prairie 

 Hen is found in considerable numbers in the northwestern parts of the State.' It is now 

 very rare, though a few remain in the vicinity of Toledo, and in Erie, Ottawa, Craw- 

 ford and Marion counties. Mr. E. E. Neil informs me that a few years since a few re- 

 mained at Eadnor, Delaware county." 



Since the above was published I have learned that Messrs. Al. Buttles 

 and Charles Wagner, well-known sportsmen of this city, flushed a pair 

 of these birds a few years since, not far from the locality in which the 

 above mentioned specimen was secured, but did not succeed in taking 

 them. I learn that they also remain in Wyandot county, and in the 

 vicinity of Venice, Sandusky county, though in very limited numbers; 

 and on perhaps less reliable authority that they have been seen in Fair- 

 field and Pickaway counties. It seems not impossible that they may be 

 now on the increase after having once been nearly exterminated or driven 

 from the State. It is to be hoped that proper legislation may afford to 

 the birds of this family an opportunity of recovering their diminished 

 numbers so far as can be done by protection from pursuit and capture, at 

 all seasons, for a sufficient number of years. 



The nest of the Prairie Hen is placed on the ground. The eggs, usually 

 from eight to twelve, are pale gray or brown, usually unmarked, but 

 sometimes uniformly sprinkled with brown. They measure about 1.75 

 by 1.25 inches. 



Genus BONASA. Stephens. 



Lower half of tarsus bare, with two rows of scutellas anteriorly. Sides of neck with a 

 rnfif of broad, truncate soft feathers. Tail very broad, square, as long as the wings. 



