166 
The Spruce Partridge though colloquially and officially called “Part- 
ridge” is a true Grouse that has been misnamed through general but careless 
usage. It is a bird of the northern woods. Its over-confiding nature has 
given it the name of “Fool Hen” as, where not much disturbed, it can be 
killed with sticks or stones. For this reason it is one of the first birds to 
disappear before settlement and it is rapidly vanishing from all but the 
most retired and lonely localities. Owing to its feeding largely upon 
spruce or evergreen buds its flesh in late or middle winter is usually too 
strong for the ordinary civilized palate and it can not be listed as a legiti- 
mate game bird. 
299. Franklin’s Grouse, fool hen. Canackites franklini. L, 15. Almost exactly 
like the Spruce Partridge (See Plate XXII A), but with tail black to the tip or else with 
narrow white termination and generally 
with conspicuous white tips to uppertail 
coverts (Figure 192, compare with 191). 
Distinctions. Size will distinguish from 
anything but the very closely allied Spruce 
Partridge of northern British Columbia and 
the Prairie Provinces, and the Ptarmigan of 
the far north and high elevations. Easily 
distinguished from the latter by the un- 
feathered toes (compaie with Figure 193). 
The male is distinguished from the Spruce 
Partridge by the lack of ru sty-ochre tips to 
the tail feathers, its replacement by a 
narrow line of white or, usually, pronounced 
white tips on the uppertail-co verts. This last character sometimes occurs in the Alaska 
form of the Spruce Partridge which, however, never has the white tail tip common to 
both sexes of Franklin's. Females are more difficult to distinguish and may at times be 
inseparable from the Spruce Grouse. The lack of rusty in tail tip and the presence of 
broad white tips to uppertail-coverts are the best distinctions. Specimens 
approaching intermediate may occur. Slight traces of rusty on tail tip may occur in 
Franklin’s Grouse, but never anything like a terminal bar. This difference never seems 
quite bridged over and is, therefore, regarded as fully specific. 
Field Marks. Small size and general black, grey, and white coloration and red comb 
of male. Female a small reddish-brown Grouse strongly banded all around body. Prob- 
ably inseparable in life from the Spruce Grouse unless the terminal tail characters are 
evident. There are, however, but few places where their ranges overlap. 
Distribution. The mountains of northern Oregon to central British Columbia from 
the Coast range to the eastern slopes of the Rockies in Alberta. 
A11 said of the Spruce Grouse is equally true of this species. 
300. Ruffed Grouse (Including Canada, Grey, Oregon, and Yukon Ruffed Grouse). 
partridge. BiBCH partridge, Bonasa urnbellus. L, 17. Plate XXII B. A large 
woodland Grouse coloured in wood-browns and greys. Broad, soft, black feathers making 
“ruff” on sides of neck, and lower back feathers with small, fine eye-spots. Female similar 
but with ruffs smaller. Occurs in two phases, regardless of age, sex, or season. A red form 
with the light parts of the tail brick red, the browns elsewhere tending towards reddish 
rather than grey, and with copper-coloured (or black) ruffs. In the grey phase, the ground 
colour tail is ashy-grey, theie is much grey overwash on the back and elsewhere, and the 
ruffs are steely black. There are various intergrading and mixed plumages. 
Distinctions. The soft, black ruff feathers on the sides of the neck, the broad, ample, 
many-barred tail, and the small eye-spots on lower back make this an easily distinguished 
species. The legs are more Bparsely feathered than in other Grouse and the lower half of 
the tarsus is bare (Figure 28, page 27). 
Field Marks. Size, general coloration, ruffs, and especially the broad grey or red, 
many-barred tail which is very conspicuous when the bird is flushed. 
Distribution, Wooded regions of Canada and the northern United States. In Canada 
absent only in a few localities of the most southern arid prairies. 
Figure 192 
Tail tip of Franklin's Grouse; scale, 
