Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 



439 



two specimens near Racine, Wisconsin, in December, 1846. (Trans. 

 Wisconsin State Agri. Soc, Vol. II, 1852, p. 341.) Kumlien and Hol- 

 lister give two additional records from northern Wisconsin and say : 

 "It is certain, however, that the ptarmigan occurs as a rare winter 

 visitor in the northern peninsula of Michigan and formerly at least 

 reached Wisconsin during the severest weather." (Birds of Wisconsin, 

 1903, p. 57.) 



Genus TYMPANUCHUS Gloger. 



144. Tympanuchus americanus (Reich.). 

 Prairie Hen. Pinnated Grouse. 



Distr. : Prairies of United States, from Texas, Nebraska, and Kan- 

 sas, east to Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan, and from Ontario 

 and Michigan to Missouri and Louisiana. 



Adult male: Sides of neck with tufts of ten or more stifiEened 

 feathers marked with rufous and buffy white, the greater portion of the 

 longer feathers, brownish black, and showing bare skin beneath; 

 upper plumage, mixed pale brown, black and buffy white, the feathers 

 broadly barred; throat, pale buff or buffy white; under parts barred 

 with brown and white; most of the tail feathers, plain slaty brown, 

 tipped with white, the middle feathers marked with more or less pale 

 brown; middle tail feathers, not decidedly longer than the others. 



Adult female : Similar, but having the tail barred with black and 

 tawny buff, and the neck tufts, smaller. 





5 ">• 



Prairie Hen. 



