214 
TETRAO UR OPH A SI ANUS. 
both of the newly discovered species from the n°‘'L 
western part of America, and they only, should 
distinguished by the extraordinary number of * 
feathers of the tail. In the dusky grouse, hou f< U f 
they are broad and rounded. The cock of the wo** 
like the greater part of the species, has but eight* 6 
which are also broad and rounded. The only g r * u ( j | 
in which they are found narrow is the sharp-ta' | c j 
though without being either acute or tapering, % 
on the contrary square at tip, and of equal 
throughout, or, if any thing, the lateral rather broad* 6 
the tip. U 
Lewis and Clark first met with this bird on t& • 
journey westward, near the fountain of the Miss« u J 
in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. They in for 111 . 
that it is found on the plains of the Columbia in g 1 J 
abundance, from the entrance of the southeast fork 
the Columbia to that of Clark’s River. It appears 
to extend to California, for there can be but little do'' 
that it is the bird erroneously called bustard by J 
travellers who have visited that country. Lewis 
Clark state, that in its habits it resembles the grO' l ’ ( i 
(meaning probably /. phasianclhts ,) except that C i 
favourite food is the leaf and buds of the pulpy-l*" 1 J 
thorn. The gizzard is large, and much less compr esS J 
and muscular, than in most gallinaceous birds, 
perfectly resembles a matv. When the bird flies, ' 
utters a cackling note, not unlike that of the donie 5 ^ 
fowl. The flesh of the cock of the plains is dark, "V 
only tolerable in point of flavour, and is not so palaj" 
as either that of the pheasant or grouse. It is invar'" 
found in the plains. 
The cock of the plains is precisely equal in si 1 ®* , j 
the cock of the woods ; at least such is the result o 
comparison of the female with the corresponding s > 
of the European bird, both lying before us. Each I 1 . 1 ' 
exactly coincides in form and dimension, except'^ 
that the tail rather gives the superiority to the AmerU® 
so that if the male bears the same relative proper"^ 
to his female, the cock of the plains must be proclaim 
