392 FAMILY TETEAONIDJi: — THE GROUSE, ETC. 



the Indian Territory and Texas this bird abounds."* The northern line 

 of its distribution may likewise be determined with approximate accu- 

 racy, though it appears to have contracted of late years. It is scarcely 

 now found in any part of Minnesota ; but Dr. Head tells me that some 

 thirty years ago, at old Fort Atkinson, a few miles west of Prairie du 

 Chien, it -was frequently killed, though its present northern limit can- 

 not be far from the southern border of Minnesota. Audubon mentioned 

 its presence in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Vermont; but in these 

 portions of New England, at least, it appears to be nearly or quite 

 extinct,! while I never have heard of it from Maine. According to Mr. 

 W. Eoss King (Sportsman and Naturalist in Canada, p. 135), it was still 

 met with in various localities in Canada, in 1866-07, and about the same 

 time Mr. Mcllwraith states that it was "common along the western 

 frontier" of the same territory. It is not necessary to instance special 

 regions within the boundary above sketched, its dispersion being gen- 

 eral, and only subject to restriction by the nature of localities unsuited 

 to its habits, or where it is exposed to persecution which it cannot with- 

 stand. Constant interference with what would otherwise be its natural 

 distribution, gradual diminution in its numbers in many places and its 

 final disappearance from others, are points, unfortunately, only too well 

 assured. 



Family TETRAONIDiE : The Grouse, &c. 



The Missouri region, as defined for the purposes of the present work 

 to include the entire country drained by the great river and its tribu- 

 taries, affords representatives of all the North American genera of 

 Grouse, and, in fact, furnishes us with every North American species 

 of Grouse, excepting only two kinds of Ptarmigan [Lagopus albm and 

 L. riipestrw). All these are game birds in strictness. In the following 

 account, therefore, I am at pains to give the sportsman and general 

 reader a clear and accurate idea of the whole group as represented in 

 North America. The technicalities are, it is believed, sufliicieiitly pre- 

 cise, without being unnecessarily abstruse, to enable him to determine 

 any Grouse he may procure, and establish in his mind its relationship 

 to its allies ; while I enlarge upon the biographies of the less known 

 species, as far as is at present practicable. 



In striking contrast to the abundance and variety of Grouse in this 

 region, may be instanced the poverty of the same country in Partridges, 

 only one species of which is ascertained, as yet, to inhabit any portion 



* This author's further observations on the Turkeys of Xew Mexico prohahly relate 

 to the var. gallapavo, as his remarks upon those of the Gila River certainly do. I ascer- 

 tained the common occurrence of this form in the mountainous portions of Arizoua. It 

 is readily distinguished from the other by its lighter general colors, and especially by 

 the pale tips of the rump feathers, as almost invariably seen in the domestic bird. Dr. 

 "Woodhonse's note on the great size of these birds is corroborated by Lieutenant 

 Charles Bendire, who mentioned to me a gobbler he killed weighing twenty-eight 

 pounds. My correspondent also informed me of an interesting fact — that the males 

 frequently lack spurs. (Set- Am. Nat. vii, 187.3, 3^6.) 



t "As long ago as 18:59, Mr. Peabody tells us it had become very rare. At the pres- 

 ent day (18fi8) it is given by some Massachusetts authorities, and not by others. Mr. 

 Allen ' can tiud no authentic instance of its recent capture in this State, although it 

 has been said to occur wild on Mounts Tom and Holyoke ****»_> jjj-, Sam- 

 uels omits the species; Mr. Putnam give.s it, but entirely on the authority of th^ older 

 writers. It is contained in none of the Maine lists. Mr. Linsley wrote of it in 184:i, 

 'the last WildTurkey that Ihaveknownin Connecticut was taken » » » » about 

 thirt\ years since, on Letoket Mountain, in Northford.' " — (CouES, Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 



