OUPIDONIA OUPIDO. Baird. 
PINNATED - GROUSE. 
TETRAO OUPIDO. Linu., Syst. Nat., vol. i., 1766, p. 274.— Gmel., Syst. Nat., vol. i., p. 751.— Lath., Iiid. Oruith., vol. ii., 1790.— Wils., 
Am. Oruith., rol. iii., 1811, p. 104, pi. xxrii. — Bon., Ohs. Wil., 1825, No. 183. — Id., Mon. Tetrao, Am. Phil. Trans., vol. iii., 
1830, p. 392. — ^Nutt., Man., vol. i., p. 662. — And., Ornith. Biog., vol. ii., 1834, p. 490, and 1839, p. 559, pi. 186. — ^Id., B. of 
Amer., vol. v., 1842, p. 93, pi. 296. — Bon., Geog. and Comp. List, p. 44, No. 285. — Id., Sjm., 1828, p. 127. 
BONASA OUPIDO. Steph. Shaw’s Gen. Zooh, vol. xi., p. 299. 
CUPIDONIA AMERICANA. Reich., Av. Syst. Nat., 1850, p. xxix.— Bom, Comp. Rend., xlv., 1857, p. 428. 
TETRAO OUPIDO. Gray, Gem of B., vol. iii. 
CUPIDONIA OUPIDO. Baird, U. S. P. R, R. Exp. and Surv., vol. ix., p. 628.— Elliot, Proc. Acad. N. S. (1864). 
LB COQ DE BRUYERB 1 PRAISE. Ciiv., Reg. Anim., vol. i., p. 449. 
Formerly this valuable species was found in great numbers from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River, but now it has almost 
entirely disappeared from the eastern shore, and even in the West is becoming gradually scarcer every year. 
Early in the_ spring, at break of day, the prairies of the West resonnd with the loud booming notes of the excited males, who, 
meeting, sometimes in large numbers as though by appointment, strnt np and down, with their feathers ruffled, gular sacks extended, 
and the long tufts on the neck raised above their heads, forming a kind of crest ; until, overcome with their pngnacious feelings, they 
fight furiously. These conflicts, althongh carried on with much earnestness, seldom result in any injury to the combatants, the weak 
birds (giving np the strife from sheer exhaustion, leavmg the others to seek the hens, which have probably been looking on from the 
neighboring bushes. 
The tooting of the Pinnated Grouse is made by exhausting the air in the gidar sack, in Tike manner as the Cock-of-the-Plains, and 
consists of three notes, which in the clear atmosphere of the prairies may be heard for nearly half a mile. The males alone have the 
power of producing these sounds, the females being destitute of the necessary apparatus. Should the air-sacks become punctured, the 
bird is unable to toot any more, although he will go through all the motions requisite to produce the sounds. 
The Prairie Chicken makes its nest generally in April, and places it near some tuft of long grass on the open prairie. It is care- 
lessly formed of leaves and grass, and usually contains twelve eggs, and the yonng make flieir appearance in about three weeks after 
iuenbation commences. Only one brood is raised during the season, although, should the eggs be destroyed, the female will lay again. 
This species carries itself very erect when npon the ground, but is not so graceful as the Ruffed Grouse. If startled, should the object 
of its fear not be very near, it endeavors to escape by running, until. Laving reached some tuft, or clod of earth, it suddenly squats close 
to the ground, and remains until flushed. 
The Pinnated Grouse roost npon tlie ground, within a short distance of each other ; and this habit is frequently taken advantage of 
by the trapper, who, having previously marked the spof, goes to it after nightfall with a net, and often succeeds in capturing the greater 
part of the flock at one haul. This practice, however, has the effect of causing the survivors to desert the place, and it is much to be 
regretted that such wholesale destruction of these birds cannot be prevented ; but it would seem that it is likely to continue until the 
last Pinnated Grouse has been taken. 
In order to cleanse their feathers from insects, or any substance that may cling to them, they are fond of dusting themselves in the 
roads or ploughed fields ; and they may often be seen thus occujiied, during flue days. 
Their flight is strong and well sustained, sometimes rapid. They propel themselves by several beats repeated in quick succession, and 
then sail onward for some distance with the wings slightly bent downward, when the beats are again renewed. 
In August and September these birds are very gentle, and, in these moutlis, very many are shot, as they will lie well to a dog, and 
are easily approached; but in the fall, when the yonng are fully growm, they pack : that is, many families join together, sometimes to 
rhe number of several hundreds, and are then very wTld, rising out of gunshot, and continuing their flight often for more than a mile. 
If follow^cd immediately and again started, they wall frequently, on alighting, scatter and lie close, wfflen the sportsman is enabled to 
obtain many of them. 
At this period of the year they are fond of frequenting the cornfields, to pick up the grain which may be on the ground, returning 
