SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 
205 
f r r "ory ; it i s in the autumnal dress, and was brought 
| 0,11 the Rocky Mountains by the expedition under Major 
It is now in the Philadelphia Museum, and we 
'hi 
t« ] l )r oper to insert here in detail the description we 
,,, ' from it at the time, thus enabling the reader to 
northern specimen 
i^'rast it with that made from a 
j^tpring plumage, rather than point out each and all 
long ; 
its general 
lit , P'Unerous, and at the same time minute and unim- 
variations. 
p.| ois female was fifteen inches 
f Q ,?, ,n ' mottled with black and yellowish rufous ; the 
wfS* of the head above are yellowish rufous banded 
aj® black, the shaft yellowish ; a line above Ihc eye, 
“heeks, and the throat, are pure yellowish rusty, 
3 very few blackish dots, and a band of the latter 
|,,Sr from the bill beneath the eye, and spreading 
v >d ; all the lower parts are whitish cream, with a 
j °'vish rusty tiuge ; each feather of the neck and 
ajH with a broad blackish subterminal margin, in 
^ shape of a crescent, becoming’ more and more 
Jl’jnv and acute as they are lower down on the belly, 
l| *' the lowest are reduced to a mere black mark in 
Middle ; the lower tail-coverts and the temorals are 
C . 1 *% destitute of black ; all tbe upper parts, viz. the 
"Hi 
rump, upper tail-coverts, and scapulars, have a 
7 ®rm mottled appearance of black and rusty, each 
mottled appearance 
bauds, or 
11 “Jr being black with rusty shafts, spots, bar 
() 3ins, the rusty again minutely dotted with black; 
Cf 'he rump, but especially on the tail-coverts, the 
ij, y predominates in such a manner that each feather 
•id ? es brst banded with black and rusty, then de- 
, *' ( ly rusty, varied with black, which, however, does 
,. (J change in the least the general effect. The wing- 
are dusky, each with a large round white spot 
I,., ,P> the inner gradually takiug the markings of the 
n t. . i .p,~ . the lining of the shoulder is 
Waii, 
and the 
and scapulars; 
w ■■ dusky, as well as the spurious wing . 
!>arie S) each feather of the spurious wing having 
3" five large round spots of white on its outer 
bj the primaries are regularly marked on the 
