286 AMERICAN GAME. 
the whole way down the shank, to the insertion of the 
‘toes; and the same is the case of the Canada Grouse, or 
Spruce Partridge of the remote Eastern States. In all 
those species of Grouse, which are known as Ptarmigan, 
dwellers of the extreme north, or in the northern tem- 
perature of iced mountain-tops, the feathering continues 
the whole length of the toes quite to the insertion of the 
claws—this I merely mention par parenthese, as there is 
but one of the Ptarmigans likely to fall within reach of 
the sportsman ; namely, the Willow Grouse, or Red- 
Necked Partridge of the extreme parts of Maine, and 
the Easternmost British provinces, and thence so far as 
to the Arctic Circle. 
These distinctions are easily borne in mind, and will 
be found all-sufficient to the discriminating woodsman, 
who desires to be able ta call things by their right names, 
and to give a reason for doing so. 
The true Pheasant is a native of Asia originally, 
though it has beer naturalized in Europe, since a very 
early period, and is now abundant in France and Eng- 
land. No species of this bird, which is distinguished by 
a pointed tail above half a yard in length, and by its 
splendidly gorgeous coloring, little inferior in intensity 
to that of the Peacock, has ever been found, or is 
believed to exist in any portion of the Western hemis- 
phere; although those singular and showy birds, the 
Curagoas of South America, have some relation to it. 
The same is true of the reat Partridge; although the 
