PINNATED GROUSE. 419 



ing and flapping, are points it shares with its relatives. The wing-licats 

 are rapid and energetic, giving it an im|)ulse that enables it to sail long 

 distances, when the ^\ ings are held stiffly expanded to their full extent, 

 somewhat deenrved, and with the points of the qnill-Jeathers separated. 

 The bird's voice is highly characteristic. It is so almost invariably 

 uttered during flight, at particular moments with reference to the de- 

 livery of the wing-strokes, that for some time after my first acquaint- 

 ance with the birds I was in doubt whether the sound were mechanical 

 or vocal; nor was the uncertainty removed until 1 had heard it from 

 the birds at rest. The ordinary note of alarm is almost invariably 

 sounded just before the bird takes wing, whether from the ground or 

 from a tree, and is usually repeated with each succeeding set of wing- 

 beats, seeming to be jerked out of the bird by its muscular efforts. But 

 we hear it also when, the bird being at rest, it becomes alarmed, yet not 

 sufflcieutly to fly away; and when a bird is passing at full speed, sufii- 

 oiently near, we may clearly distinguish the mechanical whirring sound 

 of its wings, as well as, sometimes, the creaking rustle of its tail-feath 

 ers as it turns its flight. When roosting at ease among the trees, and 

 probably at other times, the Grouse have a different set of notes — a 

 sociable cacliling or clucking, with wliich they entertain each other. 



In conversation with Captain Hartley, of the Twenty-second Regiment, 

 an accomplished sportsman, well acquainted with the waysof onr game 

 birds, I was informed of an interesting point of difference in the habits 

 of this bird and the Pinnated Grouse. In entering a cultivated field 

 the latter goes on foot, and may consequently be readily trailed bj- a 

 dog, while the Sharp-tailed flies in, and is only likely to be overhauled 

 by the dog's winding it, or coming accidentally upon it. The same 

 gentleman has noted the preference of this sjiecies for the skirts of 

 woods, brush, and broken places generally, in contrast to the entirely 

 open places which the Pinnated Grouse frequents. 



CUPIDONIA OUPIDO, (Linn.) Bd. 

 Pinnated Grouse; Prairie Hen. 



a. cupido. 



Tetrao Biqrido, Linn., Syat. Nat. i, 1766, 274 (based on Gates., iii, 1, pi. 1 : Bmss. i, 212).— 

 Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 751.— Lath., lud. Orn. ii, 1790, 638.— Wils., Am. Orn. iii, 

 1811, 104, pi. 27.— Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 183; Syn. lt<28, 126; MoDog. 

 Tetrao, iu Am. Pbil. Trans, iii, 1830, 392.— Nutt., ilau.i, 18^2. 662.— AuD.. Orn. 

 Biog. ii, 1834, 490 ; v, 1839, 559 ; pi. 186 ; Syn. 1839, 204 ; B. Am. v, 1842, 23, pi. 

 296.— EuJioxs, Cat. B. Mass. 1835, 4.— Kocii, AViet;. Arcbiv, 1836, l.",9.— Peap.., 

 Eep. Orn. Mass. 1339, 355.— Cabot, Pr. Bost. See. v, 1855, 154 (Long- Island).— 

 LixsL., Cat. B. Conn., Am. Jonrn. 1843, 264.— DeKay, N. Y. Fauna, 1844, 

 205.— Putn., Pr. Ess. Inst. i. 1856, 229 (Massachusetts).— WooDH., Sitgr. Kep. 

 1853, 96 (Arkansas and Eastern Texas).- JIaxim., J. f. 0. vi. 1858, 439. 



JBonasa cupido, Steph., Shaw's Gen. Zool. xi, 299.— Gray, Cat. Gall. Br. Mus. 1867. 88. 



CiipUlonia cupido, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 628.— AViieat., Ohio Agric. Eep. 1860, No. 178 (Ohio, 

 few remaining in northwest portions). — Ha yd.. Rep. 1862, 172 (up the Missouri 

 to the Niobrara).— Sa.m., App. Secy's Kep.. Cat. B. Mass. 1864, p. 11 (Martha's 

 Vineyard and Naushon). — Allen, Cat. B. Mass., Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1804, 8.) 

 (nearly extinct in Massaohu.setts). — Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 291. — 

 COUBS, Pr. Ess. Inst. vi. 1868, 287.— TuRNB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 27'(uow very rare ; 

 few still in Monroe and Northampton Counties, Pa., and Nev,- Jersey Plains). — 

 Allen, Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, 500 (Western Iowa, abundant).— A'lLen, Bull. 

 M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 181 (Middle and Western Kansas).— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 

 9.— Trlppe, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv, 1872, 240 (Iowa).— JIayn., Liiiide, 1870, 138 

 (Massachusetts).- COUES, Key, 1872, 234, fig. 148.— B. B. .t E., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 

 440, pi. 61, figs. 1, 7. 



Cupidonia americana, Rbich., Syst. Av. 1850, p. xxix. — Bp., Comptes Eend. xlv, 1857, 428. 



