584 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — GALLING — ALE CTOBOP ODES. 



Fia. 401. — Head of Kuffed Grouse, nat. size. (Ad 

 nat. del. E. G.) 



in open country, from the Atlantic to the Eastern foot-hills of the E. Mts., in some latitudes, 

 and now abounds on the prairies, from Illinois and Wisconsin, to Middle Kansas at least, if not 

 found on the dryer plains westward. Its usual range includes Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Eastern 

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



and Eastern Texas. It is creeping westward) 

 with the grain fields. Ten years ago it mixed 

 with the sharp-tails about St. Paul's, Minne- 

 sota, and up the Missouri to beyond Sioux 

 City. The line of railroad is a favorite high- 

 way for the birds. It has been almost ex- 

 tirpated in the Middle and Eastern States, 

 though it still occurs sparingly in isolated 

 localities in New York, New Jersey, Penn- 

 sylvania, Long Island, Nantucket, and Mar- 

 tha's Vineyard, etc. Its abundance, and the 

 excellence of its iiesh, render it an object of 

 commercial importance. Though there may 

 be little probability of its extinction, legisla- 

 tion against its wanton or ill-timed destruction is a measure of obvious propriety. Eggs 

 averaging shorter, rounder, and smaller than those of the shai-p-tail; pale greenish-gray, with 

 sometimes a glaucous bloom, usually unmarked, sometimes very minutely dotted with brown 

 S64. O. c. pallldicinc'ta. (Lat. palUdus, pale; cinctus, begirt.) Pale Pinnated GtKOUSE. 

 Above, the dark markings not in excess of the lighter markings, and rather brown than black ; 

 below, the dark bars very pale and narrow. Tarsi scant feathered, exposing the bare strip 

 behind. Southwestern prairies ; a local race, from warmer and dryer regions. 

 208. BONA'SA. (Gr. /Sdmo-oj, 

 Lat. bonasus, a bison : the 

 "drumming" of the bird 

 being likened to the bel- 

 lowing of a bull.) EUFFED 

 Grouse. Head with a 

 full soft crest. Neck on 

 each side with a tuft of 

 numerous (15-30) broad 

 soft glossy-black feathers, 

 covering the rudimentary 

 tympanum. Tail about as 

 long as the wings, amply 

 rounded or fan-shaped, nor- 

 mally of 18 soft broad 

 feathers, with trancate 

 ends. Tarsi scantfeath- 

 ered, naked below, with 

 two or three rows of scu- 

 tella in front. Plumage of 

 blended and varied colors ; 

 sexes alike. 



Fig. 402. — Buffed Grouse. (From Lewis.) 

 Woodland species, more or less arboreal, of common occurrence in suitable places. 



Analyais of Varieties. 



Brown, of mixed and varied shades of reddish and gray. Eastern and Northern umbella 



Pale ; slaty-gray the prevailing shade, Eocky Mountain region umbelloides 



Dark ; chestnut-brown the prevailing shade. Pacific Coast region sabinii 



566 

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