FALCIPENNIS HAETLAUBII. Elliot. 
SIBERIAN SPRUCE GROUSE. 
TETKAO CANADENSIS, vak FKANKLINII. Midden., Siber. Eels., band, ii., tlieil. 2. 
TETRAO FALCIPENNIS. Hai’t., Journ. fiir Ornith., vol. iii. (1855), p. 39. 
FALCIPENNIS HAETLAUBII. Elliot, Proc. Acad. Nat. Scion. (18G4). 
This species was discovered by Middendorf, who desci'bied it in the work referred to above, as Tetrao Canadensis, believing it to be the same 
as our Spruce Grouse ; but Dr. Hartlaub obtaining some specimens, at once perceived them to be different, and named it Tetrao Falcipennis. 
Middendorf says; “I first saw this bird on the Ujan, that is, right among the steep spurs of the Stanowaj Mountains. It is of very frequent 
occurrence on these slopes, and particularly in the neighborhood of Udskoj-Astrog.” 
“ Prom this region, the first intelligence of this bird was received as narrated by Stcller, according to whom, it was called by the inhabitants 
of Yakoiitsk the wood-cock of the mountains.” 
* * » «Our bird occurs on the entire southern coast of the sea of Ochotsk, and also all over the Stanowaj Mountains, and even over 
the southern slopes of the same as far as the region of the Shilka. Thus, tliis wood-hen is found on the Tiski, on the sources of the Kile, and 
even on the middle portion of the course of the Ur ; although it is not seen on the Lima or on the Oldo, Avhich may be considered as forming its 
most southern limit.” 
“How far north this species may be found is unknown to me, but Wosnesenky met this bird near Ajan, and I conversed with inhabitants of 
Yakutsk who had .seen it on the road between Yakutsk and Ochotsk.” 
This Grouse bears some resemblance to the Canace FrankUnii, but has maiiy characters to distinguish it from that species, as a glance at 
the plate will testify ; but it differs from the members of the genus Canace, by having the fivst four primaries, falcate ; this being the sole instance 
among the Gallinaceous birds where this peculiarity is found, excepting the species of the genus Penelope. 
As this is such a very marked and unusual occurrence, I have deemed it worthy in this instance of generic distinctness, and have therefore 
proposed the term Falcipenni.s ; and in compliment to the eminent ornithologist who first detected this bird as of a distinct species, have given to 
it the name Hartlaubii, which I sincerely trust it may always be permitted to bear. 
The very spirited drawing of Falcipennis Hartlaubii, which adorns this work, is the production of Mr. Wolf’s pencil, and gives a perfect 
representation of the bird in its native wilds. 
The female, as described by Middendoi'f, bears some resemblance to that of Canadensis, but “has the yellow of the throat and upper part of 
the breast more extended and spotted like the back, and is without the brown spots on the end of the tail.” 
