S94 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
celebrated cock of the woods of the north of Europe, is very 
plentiful in North California, as well as in the regions watered 
by the Columbia river. This noble bird generally makes his 
residence in the barren plain, among low bushes and brush¬ 
wood, under which it runs and lurks ; and is hushed with some 
difficulty, generally taking wing near enough to the shooter to 
afford him a fair mark. The cock of the plains is about thirty 
inches in length, and nearly four feet in extent, and weighs from 
seven to ten pounds. The flesh is very fine and delicate. 
The color is a bright grey, varied with small brown spots on 
the back and wings. Another fine species is the T. ob- 
scurus, Dusky Grouse, a very handsome bird, though much 
less in size than the preceding, and which, together with the 
T. rupestris, Rock Grouse, inhabits the mountainous regions 
of the North. T. umbellus , The Ruffed Grouse, or Pheasant 
of the Southern States, and the T. leucunis, White-tailed 
Grouse, are common in different places. I have never met 
with either the T. phasianellus, Pintail Grouse, or the T. 
Franklinii , which are probably confined to the more remote 
regions of the North. 
The bays, inlets, and rivers, are well stocked with different 
species of water birds, and the low lands near the outlets of 
some of the streams on the Pacific coast actually swarm with 
geese, ducks, widgeon, teal, cranes, curlews, snipes, and va¬ 
rious other waders and swimmers. Of this class of birds, the 
infinite variety forbids mention but of a few individuals. The 
Tringa, Sand Piper, the Charadrius , Plover, the JVmneri- 
nus , Curlew, the Totanus , Tatler, the Limosa, God wit, the 
Scolopax, Snipe, the Phalarope, the Larus , Gull; of each 
several species, and in immense numbers, throng the shores. 
Cygrms buccinator , The Swan, is the largest bird of the 
country, and seems to differ in nothing from the same species 
elsewhere. Its color is pure white, except that of the bill 
and legs, which is black, and of the forehead, which is a fine 
orange. This is a splendid and powerful bird. They arrive 
