The Sharp- tailed Grouse 193 



they are of interest to sportsmen merely as the 

 melancholy remnant of an almost lost race, 



THE LESSER PRAIRIE-HEN 

 (T. pallidicinctus) 



Beyond a somewhat paler tone of plumage, this 

 bird has little to distinguish it from T. americanus, 

 although it has been considered a separate race. 

 Its range includes southwestern Kansas, the Indian 

 Territory, and western Texas. Throughout much 

 of this territory it is very abundant, and it furnishes 

 excellent sport. 



attwater's prairie-hen 



(T'. attwateri) 



This race of T. americanus is peculiar to the 

 coast region of Louisiana and Texas. It is dis- 

 tinguished by the almost bare tarsus, and a square- 

 ness of the ends of the feathers composing the 

 neck-tufts, 



the sharp-tailed grouse 



(Pediocetes phasianellus) 



Adult male — Entire upper parts, black, with many narrow bars of 

 buff, and buff mottlings ; bars on rump and upper tail-coverts, 

 paler buff; wings, like back, with broad, central white streaks 

 on scapulars, coverts, spotted with white ; secondaries, barred 

 and tipped with white ; primaries, dark brown, outer webs show- 

 ing evenly distributed white spots ; under parts, white, spotted 

 with black on throat and front of neck, and broad V-shaped 

 marks of blackish brown near the centre of the feathers, most 



