SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 
485 
Say introduced the species regularly into the scientific re- 
cords of his country. The expedition under Major Long 
brought back a specimen now in the Philadelphia Mu- 
seum, from which, though a female, and unusually light co- 
loured, we have had our drawing made, on account of its ha- 
ving been procured in the American territory. The bird is 
never seen in any of the Atlantic states, though numerous in 
high northern latitudes. It is common near Severn River and 
Albany Fort, inhabiting the uncultivated lands in the neigh- 
bourhood of the settlements, and particularly near the south- 
ern parts of Hudson’s Bay, being often killed in winter near 
Fort York; but it does not extend its range to Churchill. Near 
Fort William, on Lake Superior, the sharp-tailed grouse is 
also found in spring, and we have seen specimens killed in 
winter at Cumberland House, and others at York Factory in 
summer. In collections it is very rare ; and Temminck, when 
he wrote his history of gallinaceous birds, had never seen a 
specimen, nor did it exist at the time in any European mu- 
seum. 
It is by the shape of the tail that this grouse is eminently 
distinguished from all others. The English name, which we 
have, with Mr Sabine, selected from Pennant, is much more 
applicable than that of long-tailed, given by Edwards; for 
instead of being long, it is, except the middle feathers, remark- 
ably short, cuneiform, and acute, more resembling that of some 
ducks than of the pheasant. By the elongated feathers, but in 
no other particular, this species approaches the African genus 
Pterocles, At Hudson’s Bay it is called pheasant, a name 
which, though inappropriate, seems, at least, better applied to 
this than the ruffed grouse. 
The original writers that have mentioned this grouse are, 
Edwards, who first introduced it, and has figured the female 
from a badly stuffed specimen, being, however, the only figure 
before ours ; Pennant ; Hearne, who has given the most infor- 
mation concerning its habits, derived from personal observa- 
tion ; and Forster, who has described it with accuracy. Linne 
