
82 . THE FAUNA OF MONTANA TERRITORY. 
young. The "Small Brown Pheasant” of Lewis & Clark (?) 
is probably the immature Zagopus leucurus, which inhabits 
much more Alpine districts than any we traversed. 
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE (T. Columbianus). This Grouse 
occurs abundantly at most of the prairie regions passed 
through, on Sun River, Deer Lodge, Bitterroot (St. Mary’s) 
and Spokan prairies, probably finding its way down around 
the valley of Clark’s Fork, and reaches Fort Colville in small 
numbers. I saw none, however, in the higher prairies of 
the Rocky Mountains, over 4500 feet above the sea. 
SaGE-FowL (Centrocercus urophasianus). I saw nothing 
of the Sage-fowl, which Col. Vaughan, who had a specimen 
killed near Fort Benton, says is very rare there. None were 
seen by our party on the Columbia Plains, north of Snake 
River, where they were common in 1853. 
RurrEp GROUSE (Bonasa Sabinii var.? umbelloides). I 
shot several specimens of this Ruffed Grouse from the east 
base of Mullan’s Pass to Fort Colville, most of which were 
young or moulting, but showed more or less brown in their 
plumage, thus connecting the above named variety (?) with 
the other two forms, which it entirely resembles in habits, 
"etc. I saw a much grayer one near Fort Colville in 1853. 
Gray Crane (Grus Canadensis). Only two observed in 
the Rocky Mountains, and none elsewhere, except a tame 
one near Fort Colville, which followed our horses for some 
| distance apparently for the pleasure of a race, running with 
wings spread until it was passed, then flying ahead and cir- 
cling round to meet us again. It refused a piece of bread 
thrown to it. l 
Brue Heron (Ardea herodias). I did not see this, nor 
any other species of Heron, west of Fort Benton. Lewis 
and Clark, as well as Dr. Newberry, speak of seeing White 
Herons below Snake River. 
Mouxwrars Prover (Aegialitis montanus). Rare along 
the east base of the Rocky Mountains, usually about the 
Prairie-dog villages, and might be expected | to cross the ~ 






