SPOTTED GROUSE. 
209 
much disturbed, like their kindred species, they 
J ?Pt to resort to trees, where, by using- the precaution 
dr 1 *' a ys shooting the lowest, the whole of the terrified 
may be brought down to the last bird. 
t r spotted grouse is smaller than the common par- 
or pheasant, being but fifteen inches in length, 
is black, seven-eighths of an inch long. The 
rj^ml colour of the plumage is made up of black and 
mingled in transverse wavy crescents, with a few 
S^yish rufous on the neck. The small feathers 
Cv fin " the nostrils, are deep velvety black. The 
Jmrs may all be called black as to the ground colour, 
w, blackish plumbeous at the base ; on the crown, 
pi, 11 * 1- sides of the head above the eye, and the anterior 
Jbon 0 f t i,e neck, they have each two gray bauds or 
V 11 crescents, and tipped with a third; these parts, 
ii, lt| S to the gray margin of the feathers being very 
appear nearly all gray; these longer feathers of 
il, * f n V er part of the neck above, and between the 
t v'fifiers, are more broadly and deeply black, each with 
(J^'Ush band, and gray only at tip ; the lowest have 
t* two reddish bands, which pass gradually into 
il^y'sh ; a few of the lateral feathers of the neck are 
H|”° s t pure white ; all the remaining feathers of the 
k f !r parts of the body have two grayish bands, besides 
Ifw'-fi't tip of the same colour; some of the lowest and 
tj-^t having even three of these hands, besides the 
g£, The very long upper tail-coverts are well distin- 
not only "by their shape, but also by their 
CJ p 8, being- black brown, thickly sprinkled on the 
with grayish rusty, and a pretty well defined 
y that colour towards the point, then a narrow 
Sy^Cl deep black, and are broadly tipped with whitish 
fiiaf’ u, °re or less pure in different specimens; their 
W ls ’ also, are brownish rusty. The sides of the head 
l,u'T lth the oves, together with the throat, are deep 
HkJ, with pure white spots, the white lying curiously 
C, the feathers, so as to form a band about the 
Poi continued along the shaft, and spreading at the 
v t : but the feathers being small on these parts, the 
iv. o 
