232 Brewster on Birds of Fort Walla Walla , W. T. 
ing three young, or at least immature, birds in brown plumage. The 
adult is absolutely identical with Massachusetts specimens, and must be 
considered typical atricapillus. Two of the young agree well with Mr. 
Ridgway's description of young striatulus ,* but the the third does not have 
the markings either darker or more extensive than do several of my New 
England examples, and the dorsal feathers have an even broader light 
( ochraceous ) edging; the under parts, also, are strongly ochraceous, while 
the stripes on the flanks are neither cordate nor transverse. The latter 
characters, however, are probably worthless for they occur in a Tyngs- 
boro (Mass.) bird. 
Without going further into details I may sum up my conclusions as 
follows: (1) That two of Capt. Bendire’s specimens (the adult and the 
young bird just mentioned) are undistinguishable from typical atrica- 
pillus ; (2) That the other two examples (both young or immature) differ 
from eastern birds in having broader, more linear black markings be- 
neath and a narrower light edging on the feathers above, and are probably 
referable to a form more or less distinct from atricapillus ; (3) That true 
atricapillus ranges westward at least to Fort Walla Walla, Washington 
Territory; (4) That striatulus , as at present defined, is a doubtfully 
tenable variety. 
I am not at liberty to pursue the subject further, for I understand that 
Mr. Nelson is about to propose a new Pacific coast race which occurs, 
at least as a migrant, in the Western United States, and upon the young 
of which Mr. Ridgway apparently based his description of young stria- 
tulus. f 
49. Bonasa umbella sabinii ( Dougl .) Coues. Oregon Ruffed 
Grouse. — The series of Ruffed Grouse embraces twelve specimens, all 
from the immediate vicinity of Fort Walla Walla. These birds apparently 
represent a dark, or more properly speaking, non-rufescent phase of 
sabinii , corresponding to the gray phase of umbella, and bearing the same 
relation to typical sabinii that the Walla Walla Scops does to what has 
been considered typical 6 1 . ke.nnicotti. This peculiar plumage may be 
characterized as follows : 
Gray -phase ; adult $. Above with the ground-color clear, dark ash, 
nearly uniform and unmixed with reddish even on the wings and tail ; 
throat and breast tinged with reddish-yellow; remainder of under parts 
white, occasionally with a trace of ochraceous ; markings as in typical 
sabinii. 
The above description is taken from a bird which probably represents 
the extreme gray condition, all the others having more or less reddish- 
brown on the upper parts, especially on the back and wings, although the 
tail is usually clear ashy. Two specimens, however, show a decided ap- 
* “ Darker (brownish-black) markings prevailing in extent over the lighter (nearly 
clear white) ones. Stripes beneath broad, brownish-black ; those" on the flanks cor- 
date and transverse.” 
f The type of the adult striatulus has turned out to be merely a light-colored, faintly 
marked example of atricapilluS’. 
