104 
THE PINNATED GROUSE. 
hen. During the first years of my residence at Henderson, in severe 
winters, the number of Grouse of this species was greatly augmented by 
large flocks of them that evidently came from Indiana, Illinois, and even 
from the western side of the Mississippi. They retired at the approach of 
spring, no doubt to escape from the persecution of man. 
This species is abundant on all the prairies of Texas, and ranges along 
the shores of the Missouri as far as the head waters of that stream ; but 
none have been observed on the Rocky Mountains, or on the plains of the 
Columbia river. The eggs measure two inches in length, by rather more 
than one and a half in breadth, and are nearly equally rounded at both ends. 
All the birds of this family that alight on trees and roost there, have the 
toes either destitute of feathers or partially naked. On the contrary, those 
which keep constantly on the ground, have these parts thickly feathered to 
the claws, more especially during winter. The latter birds roost staining 
in an almost erect posture, sometimes singly, sometimes in the manner of 
Partridges, that is, with their tails together and their heads outward. Those 
which roost on trees lie down on the branches, and perhaps do not need 
feathers on their toes," as these parts receive the warmth from their body 
while they are in this crouching posture, which they can enjoy in continu- 
ance, being less liable to be disturbed by quadrupeds than those that repose 
on the ground, and sleep erect, in order to be ready to fly off when surprised 
or approached at night. 
Pinnated Grouse, Tetrao Cupido , Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. iii. p. 104. 
Tetrao Cupido, Bonap. Syn., p. 126 . 
Pinnated Grouse, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 662. 
Pinnated Grouse, Tetrao Cupido , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. ii. p. 490; vol. v. p. 559. 
Male, 18, 27 h. 
Abundant from Texas throughout all the western prairies, to very high 
up the Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio. Almost extirpated in the 
Middle and Eastern Districts. Resident. 
Adult Male. 
Bill short, robust ; upper mandible with the dorsal outline curved, the edges 
overlapping, the tip decimate and rounded ; lower mandible convex, broad, 
with the tip rounded. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by the feathers. 
Head small, neck rather long, body bulky. Feet of ordinary length ; tarsus 
short, feathered ; toes covered above with numerous short scutella, margi- 
nated and pectinated ; hind toe extremely short, two lateral equal, middle 
toe much longer ; claws of ordinary length, strong, arched, rather obtuse, 
concave beneath. 
