. The gallinaceous game birds of North America, including the partridges, grouse, ptarmigan, and wild turkeys . rp-tailed Grouse would appear to be the same, theslight differences of color and style of markings not beingsufficiently striking and tangible to be perceived withouthaving the assistance of an expert to point them , in truth, the differences are very slight, but never-theless have been deemed important enough to give thebirds the rank of separate races. The locality of a speci-men, however, would be of the highest importance, inmany instances, in assisting the decision as to
. The gallinaceous game birds of North America, including the partridges, grouse, ptarmigan, and wild turkeys . rp-tailed Grouse would appear to be the same, theslight differences of color and style of markings not beingsufficiently striking and tangible to be perceived withouthaving the assistance of an expert to point them , in truth, the differences are very slight, but never-theless have been deemed important enough to give thebirds the rank of separate races. The locality of a speci-men, however, would be of the highest importance, inmany instances, in assisting the decision as to whichrace it belonged. This Grouse, known, in additionto the name given above, as the Pin-tail, Spike-tailGrouse, and Prairie Chicken, has practically the samehabits as those of its Eastern relative, and is very commonthroughout the districts in which it is found. Like thePrairie Sharp-tail, it keeps to the open country, and ifmet with in summer in the wooded portions, it will onlybe along their edges, where it has easy access to theprairie-land. In the spring, before sunrise, these birds meet together 126. /A^«v<■lu- 5/i-il- 28. Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse, COLUMBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 127 and dance in a similar way to that described in thearticle on the Pinnated Grouse, although, if possible,they are more active in their movements and exhibitgreater excitement. This saturnalia is preparatoryto selecting mates for the serious business of the ap-proaching nesting season, and the males make the mostfrantic efforts to cause themselves to appear attractive tothe numerous hens gathered around. They have, likethe Pinnated and some other Grouse, a loose skin on thesides of the neck, capable of being inflated, swelling outlike two great oranges, one on either side, which emit,when being exhausted, a sound that has been likenedto a bubbling crow, quite different to the organ-like* boom of the Prairie Chicken. Incubation begins thelatter part of April, the nest being placed in
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectgameandgamebirds
