204 
tethao piiasianellus. 
sprinkled with blackish on the whole of their ouK 
web ; all the other lateral feathers, entirely concede, 
by the coverts, are pure white at the point, but 
dusky shafts, and are more or less broadly dark ciuere"" 
at base ; these feathers are very rigid, and of a cnri"" 
form, tapering from the base to the point, where tl'S 
suddenly dilate ; they are deeply emarginated at tip, ll ". l 
their inner lobe projects considerably ; the tarsus is**!, 
inches long; the slender hair-like feathers covering 1 '’ 
are, as well as the feraorals, of a dingy grayish 
obsoletely waved with dusky; the toes are stroll 
pectinated, and are, as well as the nails, of a blao^ 
dusky, while the long processes are whitish. ,, 
The foregoing minute description is chiefly t#®* 
from a handsome male specimen from Arctic 
There is no difference between the sexes, at least "i 
have not been able to detect any in all the specimen* , 
both that we have examined; hence we conclude d'j 
the difference generally described by authors, 
which we have ourselves copied in our Synopsis, t * 1, 4 
ot the breast being chocolate brown in the male, 
uniform with the rest of the plumage in the fen 1 ' 1 j 
does not exist. The female is merely less bright i" 1 
glossy. Both sexes, like other grouse, have a papd^, j 
red membrane over the eye, not always seen in stuff*'- 
skins, and which is said to be very vivid in the . 
this species in the breeding season. This membra"* 
an inch in length, becomes distended, and proj<"* 
above the eye in the shape of a small crest, three-ei? 1 ' 1 f 
of an inch high. The male at this season, like 
other species, and indeed of most gallinaceous h ,I( . 
struts about in a very stately manner, carrying liin )sl ' 
very upright ; the middle feathers of the tail are . 
or less elongated, in young birds scarcely exceeding * 
adjoining by half an inch. 
The spring plumage is much more bright and 
than the autumnal, and also exhibits differences in . 
spots and markings. The female specimen we h? 
selected tor the following description, on account 
being the only one we had from the United St®* 
