850 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Order G A L L I . 



A large and well characterised order of schizognathous, 

 holorhine, four -toed land-birds distributed over all continents and 

 widely known as the game-birds. Basipterygoid processes much 

 specialized, not free but articulating with distal end of pterygoids. 

 Vomer small, often greatly reduced. Sternum with large spina 

 communis, high and long keel, and two deep notches on each 

 posterior margin. Bill short and stout, culmen arched and over- 

 hanging lower mandible. Body-feathers with well -developed 

 after-shafts. Quintocubital, i.e. 5th secondary quill present. 

 Nestling covered with down, nidifugous. 



Key to families of Order Galli. 



Nostrils covered with feathers, tarsus feathered . . . Tetraonidce* 



Nostrils bare of feathers, tarsus not feathered . . . Phasianidce. 



Family TETRAONID^. 



Contains the Grouse, Capercaillie, Blackcock. Nostrils covered 

 by feathers; Tarsus and often toes feathered, never any spurs, 

 when toes not feathered laterally pectinated. Northern hemisphere. 



Key to genera of Family Tetraonid^e. 



, /Tarsi and toes covered with feathers . . . Lagopus, p. 859 



\ Tarsi feathered, toes bare 2 



2 /Tail forked Lyrurus, p. 855 



"/Tail rounded Tetrao, p. 850 



Genus TETRAO L. 



Tetrao Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 159 (1758 — Type by subsequent 

 designation of Gray, 1840 : T. urogallus). 



Large game-birds with feathered nostrils, and feathered tarsus 

 but bare toes, though latter at base covered by bristly feathers ; on 

 sides of toes two rows of narrow scales, like teeth of a comb. Tail 

 long, strongly rounded ; rectrices 18. First primary much shorter 

 than second, about as long as 8th, fourth longest. Sexes very 

 different. Eggs spotted. 2 species both in Palsearctic region only. 



TETRAO UROGALLUS 



485. Tetrao urogallus urogallus L.— THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



Tetrao Urogallus Linnseus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 159 (1758 — Europe.. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Tetrao urogallus Linnaeus, Yarrell, in, p. 45 ; Saunders, p. 491. 



Description (Plate 13). — Adult male. Winter. — Crown, nape, 

 neck and sides of neck bluish -grey finely barred and vermiculated 

 black (feathers rather narrow and elongated) ; upper-mantle dark 

 red-brown finely vermiculated grey, tips of feathers often with 



