of the United States . 
125 
204. Perdix californica, Lath. Crested ; cinereous-brown, 
varied with yellowish ; throat black, bounded with white. 
Female lighter, destitute of black. 
Tetrao californicus , Nat. Misc. tab . 345. 
Inhabits, common beyond the Rocky Mountains, especi- 
ally the shores of the Oregon, and California. 
40. TETRAO. 
Tetrao , L. Gm. Lath. 111. Cuv. Temm. Ranz. 
Lagojpus,Briss. Ur og alius, Scopoli. Tetrao, Lagopus, Vieill. 
Bill entire, feathered at base; upper mandible curved 
from the base ; membrane covering the nostrils feathered : 
tongue short, fleshy, acuminate, acute : eye-brows naked, 
reddish, papillous. Feet moderate ; tarsus feathered, spur- 
less in both sexes ; toes scutellate ; hind toe half as long as 
the inner ; nails incurved, acute, generally somewhat flat and 
obtuse. Wings short, rounded, concave ; first primary shorter 
than the sixth ; third and fourth longest. Tail moderate, of 
sixteen or eighteen broad close feathers. 
Female of the larger species widely different from the 
male, these being glossy blackish, whilst the former are va- 
ried with black and rufous : those of the smaller mottled 
species differing but little in plumage. Young of the first 
year similar to the female, moulting twice before they attain 
their full plumage. Moult twice in the year ; some changing 
very remarkably at different seasons. 
Wild ; shy, almost untameable. Live in families : dwell 
in forests, barren countries, far from man and cultivation : 
alight on trees. Feed almost exclusively on berries, buds, 
and leaves. Polygamous : male abandoning the female as 
soon as fecundated, and leaving to her the whole care of the 
progeny: eggs from eight to fourteen. Voice sonorous. 
Flesh delicious. 
Vol. IT. 
16 
