The Sage-Hen 



enormous inflation under amatory excitement. Above them is a tuft of down-feathers, 

 covered with a set of long soft filamentous plumes corresponding to the ruff of Bonasa. 

 Many breast-feathers resemble the scaly ones of the neck, and are commonly found 

 worn to a bristly 'thread-bare' state. Scaly bases of these feathers soiled white; 

 thready ends blackish; fluffy feathers snowy-white, like wool, the longer overlying 

 filamentous plumes glossy black" (Coues). Adult female: Similar to male, but 

 much smaller and without black of chin and throat; feathers of neck not strikingly 

 peculiar. Length of cock 609.6-762 (24.00-30.00); wing 304.8 (12.00); tail 279.4- 

 355.6 (11. 00-14. 00); weight 4 to 8 pounds. Adult hen: length 533.4-584.2 (21.00- 

 23.00); wing 254-279.4 (10.00-11.00) ; tail 177.8-228.6 (7.00-9.00); weight 3 to 5 pounds. 



Recognition Marks. — Brant size; largest of American grouse; sage-haunting 

 habits. 



Nesting. — Nest: A scantily-lined depression in ground under sage-bush. Eggs: 

 6 to 15, usually 8 or 9; olive-buff to deep olive-buff, dotted and spotted with dark 

 brown. The marking is of different degrees of intensity, is well distributed, and 

 varies in size from a pin-head to a pea, tending to circular forms. Av. size 54.6 x 38.1 

 (2.15 x 1.50). Season: April-May; one brood. 



General Range. — Sage-brush plains of western North America from south 

 central British Columbia, southern Saskatchewan, and northwestern North Dakota, 

 south to central eastern California, northwestern New Mexico, and northwestern 

 Nebraska. Resident throughout its range. 



Distribution in California. — Resident in the northeastern plateau district 

 east of the Sierras from eastern Siskiyou County east to eastern Modoc County and 

 south to northern Inyo County. Formerly abundant; now greatly reduced in numbers 

 and locally wanting. 



Authorities. — Douglas (Tetrao urophasianus). Trans. Linn. Soc. London, vol. 

 xvi., 1829, p. 133 (interior of north California); Newberry, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv., vol. 

 vi., 1857, p. 95 (habits); Coues, Birds of the Northwest, 1874, p. 400 (syn., desc, habits, 

 etc.); Judd, U. S. Dept. Agric, Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 24, 1905, p. 23 (food). 



AS BAM- 

 boo to the Ori- 

 ental, or as the 

 cocoanut palm 

 to the South 

 Sea Islander, 

 so is the sage- 

 bush to this 

 Cock of the 

 Plains. It not 

 only provides 

 him shelter of 

 a sort, but food 

 and probably 

 drink as well. 

 At least, from 



MMWMIIMW CTWWB 



***&. 



Taken in Oregon 



HIS GALLANTRY, THE SAGE COCK 



Photo by Finley 



1603 



