DUSKY GROUSE. 369 
to each other, and differing not only in their external charac- 
ters, but even in their peculiar habits, that he might, with 
almost the same propriety, have included in it all typical gal- 
linaceous birds. Latham very judiciously separated the genus 
Tinamus, as well as that of Perdix, which latter he restored 
from Brisson. Illiger likewise contributed to our better know- 
ledge of these birds, by characterising two more natural genera, 
Syrrhaptes and Ortygis. 'Temminck, in his “ Histoire des Galli- 
nacés,”’ carried the number to seven, but has since reduced it 
by reuniting Coturnix to Perdix. 
The true Tetraones are divided by Vieillot into two genera, 
the Lagopodes forming a distinct one by themselves. These, 
however, we regard as no more than a subgenus, of which we 
distinguish three in our genus Tetrao. I. Lagopus, which re- 
presents it in the arctic polar regions, for whose climate they 
are admirably adapted by being clothed to the very nails in 
plumage suited to the temperature, furnished abundantly with 
thick down, upon which the feathers are closely applied. The 
colour of their winter plumage is an additional protection 
against rapacious animals, by rendering it difficult to distin- 
suish them from the snows by which they are surrounded. 
T. RicHarpsonu, Mas.—Pallidé plumbeo-griseus fusco sparsim undulatus : 
gule plumis in medio albis: abdomine saturatiore albo parcé maculato: 
macula laterali sub nucha alba : rectricibus nigris, apice albicante. 
Fem.—Minor, brunnescenti-grisea, dorso brunneo fasciato ; subtts albo fre- 
quenter notato rectricibus duobus mediis ferrugineo fasciatis. 
That gentleman mentions a trait in their manners, which he thinks 
is peculiar to this species. “On being started from the dark shadowy 
pine-trees, their usual roosting-place, they descend, or, more properly, 
allow themselves to fall within a few feet of the ground, before they 
commence flying, a circumstance which often leads the sportsman to 
think he has secured his bird, until the object of his attention leaves 
him, darting and floating through the forest.” 
They were very abundant on the subalpine regions of the Rocky 
Mountains, in lat. 52 deg., and still more numerous on the mountainous 
districts of the river Columbia, in lat. 48 deg. They were rare, how- 
ever, on the north-west coast. 
The specimens in the Edinburgh Museum have been accurately figured 
by Mr J. Wilson in his “ Illustrations of Zoology,” under the name of 
T. hichardsonit.—Ep. 
VOL, IIL, 2A 
