The Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse 



rounded spots of white; wing-quills fuscous, spotted on the outer webs with whitish 

 or tawny; the secondaries tipped with white and irregularly barred with white, the 

 inner ones changing to pattern of back; tail graduated, the two central pairs of feathers 

 much like back, the remainder mottled on outer webs, white or grayish white on inner; 

 below whitish as to base, or tinged with buffy anteriorly, the throat warm buff, usually 

 immaculate, the remaining feathers usually with U- or V-shaped markings of dark 

 brown, heaviest and sharpest on breast, least or none on belly; axillars and wing- 

 linings pure white; legs grayish white. Iris light brown; bill chiefly dark horn-color; 

 toes heavily pectinated, light horn-color above, darker below. Young birds are brown- 

 er above, with sharp white shaft-lines, and whiter below with dark brown spots on 

 breast, changing to streaks on sides. Length of adult: 457.2-508 (18.00-20.00); wing 

 228.6-254 (9.00-10.00); middle pair of tail-feathers 101.6-152.4 (4.00-6.00); shortest 

 lateral tail-feathers 38.1 (1.50); tarsus 50.8 (2.00); bill 16.5 (.65). 



Recognition Marks. — Crow size; mottled grayish plumage; chiefly terrestrial 

 habits; completely feathered tarsus; graduated tail. 



Nesting. — Nest: A grass-lined depression under shelter of sage-bush, grass- 

 clump, etc. Eggs: 10 to 15; olive-buff or dull cream-buff, unmarked, or finely dotted 

 with brown. Av. size 43.2 x 31.5 (1.70 x 1.24). Season: c. May 1st; one brood. 



Range of Pedioecetes phasianellus. — Central northern and west central North 

 America from central Alaska and northwestern British Columbia east to central west- 

 ern Ungava and the Parry Sound district of Ontario south to northeastern California, 

 central Colorado, Kansas, and Illinois. 



Range of P. p. columbianus. — Central British Columbia and central Alberta 

 south to northeastern California (formerly), Utah, and western Colorado. 



Occurrence in California. — Formerly abundant in the Modoc region, — now 

 extirpated by gun-fire. 



Authorities. — Newberry (Tetruo phasianellus), Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv., vol. vi., 

 1857, p. 94 (50 mi. n. e. Ft. Reading; Pit River); Coues, Birds of the Northwest, 1874, 

 p. 407 (syn., desc, nomencl., habits, etc.); Henshaw, Rep. Orn. Wheeler Surv., 1879, 

 p. 317 (Camp Bidwell, Modoc Co.); Bendire, Life Hist. N. Am. Birds, vol. i., 1892. 

 p. 99 (habits, nest and eggs, etc.). 



A REMEMBRANCE and a sigh — that is the present day history 

 of the "chickens" which our fathers knew — and incontinently potted. 

 They were a hardy and a wasteful breed, the pioneers, unskilled in the 

 economics of an older civilization. The western star of empire spoke 

 to them only of conquest. Life was a golden to-day, unshadowed by 

 a leaden to-morrow. Now to-morrow has come, and for many a glorious 

 species, bird or beast, the sun has set. It is "to-morrow" — on the banks 

 of the Styx. 



The Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse had all the marks of a fine game- 

 bird. It lay well to a dog, and moved off at a pace which was a fair test of 

 marksmanship. It was both hardy in habit and adaptable in the matter 

 of food. Moreover, its flesh was excellent eating, juicy and tender, and in 

 the best of condition just when the frosts were beginning to nip. An early 



1600 



