GROUSE. ai 



23. 2nd. The Ptarmigans, or White Grouse, which have the 

 toes feathered as well as the legs ; 



24. 3d. The Partridges, the tarsi of which are naked like the 

 toes, and armed, only in the male, with short spurs, or simple 

 tubercles ; 



25. 4th. The Quails, which also have naked tarsi without 

 spurs, and in which, the eye-brow is not red. 



26. The Heath-Cocks, — Tetrao, — are for the most part birds 

 of large size ; there is one species in France which is larger than 

 the Turkey, and even larger than any other gallinaceous bird. 

 The Great Heath-cock, — Tetrao urogallus, — (Plate 5, fig. 3.) 

 The plumage of the male is slate colour, finely and transversely 

 striped with black ; the female, which is a third smaller, is fawn 

 colour, with transverse, black or brown lines. The young 

 resemble the female up to the first moulting. This bird is found 

 in considerable numbers in Russia, Siberia, and generally in all 

 the northern parts of Europe and Asia ; and is more rare in 

 Germany, Hungary, and France. It always lives in the same 

 place, inhabiting through preference, mountain forests, and feeds 

 chiefly on berries, buds, young shoots, grains, insects and worms. 

 Its fiesh is delicious. 



27. [The Ruffed Grouse, — Tetrao umhdtus, — is mottled; the 

 tail is gray or ferruginous, speckled or barred with black ; the 

 male has a ruff of broad black feathers on the sides of the neck ; 

 in the female the ruff is smaller and dusky brown. It is known 

 by the name of Pheasant, in the Middle and Western States, and 

 by that of Partridge in New England. It inhabits the American 

 continent from Hudson's Bay to Georgia, but is most abundant 

 in the northern and middle parts of the United States. It feeds 

 chiefly on berries. 



28. The Pinnafed Grouse, — Tetrao cupido, — is partly crested 

 and mottled ; and the tail is rather short and much rounded. 

 The Grouse, or Prairie-Hen, is confined to dry, barren, and 

 bushy tracts of small extent, and in several places it is now 

 nearly or wholly exterminated. It is still met with on the Grouse 

 Planes of New Jersey, on the Bushy Planes of Long Island, in 



23. What are the generic characters of the Ptarmigans ? 



24. How are the Partridges recognised ? 



25. How are the Quails recognis> d ? 



2G. What are the general characters of Heath-cocks? What are the 

 characters of the Great Heath-Cock ? Where is it found ? What are its 

 habits? Upon what does it Ked ? 



27. What are the characters of the RufFcd Grouse ? Where is it found? 

 By what other names is it known ? 



28. Where is the Prairie-Hen found ? 



