332 
ACCOUNT OF SEVERAL 
two inches; its girth, twenty-two. It weighs from six 
to eight pounds. In the female, the lengthened filamen- 
tous feathers on the sides of the neck are wanting. 
The skin, cheek, and upper part of the throat, are 
dingy white, streaked with brownish black ; the re- 
mainder of the anterior portion of the neck and breast 
are grayish white, minutely streaked and spotted with 
brownish black. In other respects, her plumage nearly 
resembles that of the male. Her size is considerably 
less. 
44 The flight of these magnificent bird is slow and 
unsteady, and affords but little amusement to the sports- 
man. Their wings are feeble, and of small dimen- 
sions, in proportion to the great size and weight of 
their bodies; and their progress through the air is 
consequently effected rather by a fluttering motion, 
than by a direct and continuous flight. They rise at 
first hurriedly from the ground, giving two or three 
claps with their wings in quick succession, and, after 
flying a short distance, all the time swinging from side 
to side with a whirring noise, they gradually drop again 
to the ground. When raised, their voice resembles 
that of the common pheasant. Though they may be 
said to represent the capercailzie, or wood grouse, 
{T. urog alius,) in the New World, they so far differ 
from that species in their mode of life, that they never 
perch. 4 Indeed,’ says Mr Douglas, in a letter addressed 
to me on these subjects, 4 within their range not a 
bush larger than a common broom or whin is to be 
found.’-— 4 The young autumnal birds,’ he adds, 4 are 
of a light gray, or betwixt that and slate colour. The 
oesophagus (externally) in colour is similar to that of 
T. cupido , but has numerous reticulated minute nerves 
(blood-vessels ?) of a darker tint, which are conspicuous 
when in an inflated state. How delighted you would 
be to see this bird making love! His usual form is 
totally lost. He appears all neck and breast, and is on 
the whole one of* the most grotesque looking creatures 
that can well be imagined.’ 
44 They pair in March and April. 4 Small eminences 
