234 TETEAONID^, GROUSE, PARTEIDGES. GEN. 181. 



!j ^ Northern Sharp-tailed Grou&e. The markings black, white and dark 

 brown, with little or no tawny ; spots on the under i^arts numerous, blackish, 

 V-shaped; throat white, speckled. Arctic America; not S. to the U. S. 

 Tetrvo j)7iastaneUus Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 160; Elliot, Proc. Phila. Acad. 

 1862, 403. P. Icennicotlii Suckley, ibid. 1861, 361. . phasianellus. 

 Ql/ Var. COLCMBIANUS. Common Sharp-tailed Grouse. The markings black, white, 

 and especially tawny ; below, the spots fewer, brown, U-shaped ; throat buff. 

 T. plMsianellvs Nutt., i, 669 ; Aro., v, 110, pi. 298. Bd., 626. P. columbianus 

 Elliot, I. c. ; Coop., 532. This is the ordinary U. S. bird, abundant on the prairies 

 from Wisconsin and Kansas westward. It is accurately discriminated from the 

 dark northern form by Dr. Sucklej' and Mr. EUiot, who, however, incorrectly 

 suppose that the two forms are distinct species ; they are geographical races 

 differing from each other according to well known laws of climatic vai'iation. 



c ii 181. Genus CUPIDONIA Reiehenbaeh. 



Pinnated Grouse. Prairie Hen. Neck with a peculiar tuft of loose, 



lengthened, acuminate feathers, beneath which is a patch of bare, brightly 

 colored skin, capable of great distension ; tail short, rounded, of eighteen 

 stitEsh, not acuminate, feathers; tarsi barelj^ feathered to the toes. Length 

 16-18; wing 8-9; tail about 5. Above, variegated with black, brown, 

 tawny or ochre}% and white, the hitter especially on the wings ; below, 

 pretty regularly barred with dark brown, white and tawny; throat tawny, 

 a little speckled, or not ; vent and crissum mostly white ; quills 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 $ smaller, with shorter 



Fig. 14?. Foot of Prairie Ilea. 



neck-tufts. This well known bird formerly ranged across the United States, 

 in open country, from the Atlantic to the Eastern foothills of the Eocky 

 Mountains, and now abounds on the prairies, from Illinois and Wisconsin, 

 to Middle Kansas at least, if not found on the dryer plains westward. It 

 has been almost extirpated in the Middle and Eastern States, though 

 it still occurs sparingly in isolated localities in New York, New Jersey, 

 Pennsylvania, Long Island, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, etc. Its 

 abundance, and the excellence of its flesh, render it an object of commercial 

 importance. Though there may be little probability of its extinction, legis- 

 lation against its wanton or ill-timed destruction Avould be a measure of 

 obvious propriety. Wils., iii, 104, pi. 27; Nutt., i, 662; Aui)., v, 03, 

 pi. 296; Bd., 628 cupido. 



