CANACE CANADENSIS. E e t c t i .
Sl'liUCE (iliOUSE.
TETKAO CANADENSIS. Linn., Syst. Nat., vol. i„ p. 274 (176C).-Eorst., I’I.il. Trans., Ixii. p. 389 (1772).—Gmol., vol. i„ p. 749 (1788).-Sab.,
Zool., Appcn., Frank. Kxp„ p. CS3.—Bun., Syn., p. 127 (1828).—Hi.. Am. Ornilli., vol. iii., pi, xxi, fig, 2 (1828).—Ib., Am. Phil.
Trans,, vol. iii., N, S., p. 391 (18.30).—Sw, & Kk-li,, Faun. Bor, Amer., vol. ii., p. 34Ü (1831) pi. Ixii.—And, Ornith. Biog.,
vol. ii., p. 437 (1834).—Ib., Syn., p. 203.—Ib., Binls of Amer., vol. v., p. 83, ¡il, 29+ (1842).—(}, K. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol.
iii,—Baird, Birds of Amer., ).. 022 (1800).
CANACE CANADENSIS, Roich., Av. Syst. Nat., 1851, Type.—Bon., Comptes Rendus, xlv., p, 428 (1857).—Elliot, Proceed. Acad. Nat.
Scicn. (18G4).
TETRAO CANACB, Linn., Syst, Nat,, vol, i., p. 275 (1700).
RLACK Sl'OTTED IIEATHCOCK. Edw., pi. cxviii.
SPOTTED GROUSE. Pciiii.
LA GULLNOTE NOIRE D’AMERIQUE, Cuv. R.'-g. Anim., vol. i„ p. 449.
ScATTKRBii tiiroiighoiit the northern United States to the Arctic Sea, and westward iicni-ly to the Rocky Mountains, this (Srousc is
found amid the solitudes of the spruce forcst-s or swam]x, making its home amid their dccjiest rcec#,scs, where man rarely, intrudes, or
whore, from the depth of the treacherous moss, whirli covers the swamp with a mantle of green, he is unable to pas«. The Black Partridge,
by which name this bird is sometimes known, is generally tame and uiisus|iicious, and, unlike the majority of the niemhcrs of this
family, docs not seem to stand mncli in dread of ninii's ])rcscnce. They are easily tamed, and ajipear to hear confinement well, readily
feeding upon oats, wheat, nnd other kinds of grain. They commence to breed in the United States ahont tlic middle of May, and
farther north nearly a month later. The female conceals her ne.sf. which is composed of leaves and moss, under the drooping brandies
of the fir tree, and lays from ten to fourteen eggs, of a dee)i bnlf eolor, spotted with brown.
Tlie males leave the females a t the comnicnecmcnt of incubation, and betake themselves to a different part of the forest, and rcinain
there until late in antnmn. when they join the females and young. During the period that they arc thus alone, tlicy arc more shy ami
wary than a t any other season of tho year. In the spring the males strut before tlieir mate.« with the tail expnmled lo its utmost
extent, and wings lo'vercd to the ground; a t intervals springing into the nir and beating their sides. As an article of food, the flesh of this
Grouse is dnrk'aiid ili.sagrceablo, being frciiuently so bitter as to render it unfit to eat; altliough I believe they nro more palatable when
they feed solely on berrie,«.
The chicks rciire.scntcd in the pinte wore obtained for me in Maine by Mr. Gco. A. Boardmaii. a gentleman mueh devoted lo the
science of ornitliology. They were tnken by the Indians employed by my frioiid, who were compelled to exercise consiilerabic [laticncc in
their caiituro, for these young are so nimble and rapid in tlieir movements, ami hide so expertly at the first warning note from the
female, th a t it is no easy matter to catch them ; the difficulty of jiursiiit being greatly increased hy the density of tho forests they inhabit,
and the slipiiery, miry nature of the ground, into which a man, if not very cautious, would frequently sink to Ills waist.
The usual ajipcarance of the male is as ro|iroscnted in the plate, but I have siiecimeiis in my cainiiet wliieli lia\c almost the entire
breast blaek. This may possibly bo the result of age. When this spccie.s is started, it generally flics but a short distance, ami fakes
refuge in some thick spruce tree, where it will remain motionles.s. watching its |nir.siicr, and is easily shot iqion its perch.
Tho male may be desmihed as follows:
Upper ]>ar1s iiUimbeons gray, each fentlier crossed with bars of black ¡larailel to each o th e r; wings nnd flanks reddish brown,
mottled similarly to the back ; sccoiulaiics ti)>]icd with yeliowisli white ; in'iinarics «lark brown, the outer edges mottled with ycllon ish
brown : upper fail covciis lighter than the back, mottled « ith black, and tipped with gray. Throat and pectoral band blnck: the
former edged with a wliitc band—a while mark also before the eye; under parts «bile, crossed irregularly with black: tail dark bi-owii,
with a terminal band of orange clicstimt; mulcr tail coverts black, barred and tiiipcd « ith while ; bill black ; legs covered wilh hairy
featlicrs of a yellowish brown ; feet bro«ii.
The female is much liglitcr than the male, upper parts similarly barred with black, but mixed with orange ; flanks, sides of the neck,
and wings brownish orniigc, crossed « ith black, tlie featlicrs of the wings having n central streak of wliitc «ideiiiiig at the fi)i; i>iima-
rics and secondaries brown, marked oa the outer edge « ith yellowish luo«-n ; tliro.it yellowish while ; eeiitre of abdoineii wliitc, baired
xvitli black ; fail dark bro'vii, crossccl with five or six rows of reddish orange, and broadly tipped with the same ; feathers of the thighs
and tni-si yellowish brown; bill blackish brown; feci brown. Over the eyes of both sexes, a eoiisiiicuoiis vciniiiioii moiiiliriiiie.
The young arc of a Icmoa yellow, darker on the breast; ii black bar llirougli the eye; top of head and wings rufous brown,
irrcgiilai-ly marked with black ; iijipor mandible black ; lower, light liorii color; feet pale flesh color.
My plate contains the first re|>roscatatioii9 of these that have been given,