PINNATED GROUS. 
33 
from America; but from what particular part could not tell.* 
Buffon has confounded it with the Ruffed Grous, the common 
Partridge of New England, or Pheasant of Pennsylvania ( Te- 
trao umbelhis;) Edwards and Pennant have, however, discov- 
ered that it is a different species; but have said little of its note, 
of its flesh, or peculiarities; for, alas! there was neither voice, 
nor action, nor delicacy of flavour in the shrunk and decayed 
skin from which the former took his figure, and the latter his 
description; and to this circumstance must be attributed the 
barrenness and defects of both. 
That the curious may have an opportunity of examining to 
more advantage this singular bird, a figure of the male is here 
given as large as life, drawn with great care from the most 
perfect of several elegant specimens shot in the Barrens of 
Kentucky. He is represented in the act of strutting, as it is 
called, while with inflated throat he produces that extraordinary 
sound so familiar to every one who resides in his vicinity, and 
which has been described in the foregoing account. So very 
novel and characteristic did the action of these birds appear to 
me at first sight, that, instead of shooting them down, I sketch- 
ed their attitude hastily on the spot; while concealed among a 
brush-heap, with seven or eight of them within a short distance. 
Three of these I afterwards carried home with me. 
This rare bird, though an inhabitant of different and very 
distant districts of North America, is extremely particular in 
selecting his place of residence; pitching only upon those tracts 
whose features and productions correspond with his modes of 
life; and avoiding immense intermediate regions that he never 
visits. Open dry plains, thinly interspersed with trees, or par- 
tially overgrown with shrub-oak, are his favourite haunts. 
Accordingly we find these birds on the Grous plains of New 
Jersey, in Burlington county, as well as on the Brushy plains 
of Long Island — among the pines and shrub-oaks of Pocano, in 
Northampton county, Pennsylvania — over the whole extent of 
the Barrens of Kentucky — on the luxuriant plains and prairies 
^'‘Catesb. Car. p. 101, App. 
VOL. III. — F 
