lililí
¿aiij
BONASA UMBELLOIDES. E l l io t .
ARCTIC RDITED GROÜSE. ■
This Grouse,
found tlicm, sccr
sucli a cliaractev
least one third, i
constant
TETKAO UMBELLOIDES. Doug,, Linn, Trans,, vol. svi., 1829, p. 148.
BONASA UAIBELLOIDES. Elliot, Proceed. Acad. Nat. Scieu. (I8G4), p.
closely i-esemWing the comnion species generally known as llulTcd Grouse that a casual observer would bo likely to con-
howcvor, to be entitled to specific distinctness. In the spcoimcns before me differences exist, which are constant, and of
leave me no alternative but to separate this bird from Bonasa Umlellus. In the first place, the si/o is very much less, at
there appear none of the rod hues, so very oonspicnous in some specimens of the KufTcd Gronse. Also (and this is a
iracter in tho specimens I have), the broad black band crossing the lower pai-t of the tail is not contiiuious, but is broken by the
two centre feathers, which retain their gray color spotted with black, throughout theii- length. The markings of the back, in shape and
distribution, differ materially from its ally, and the rnff is not nearly as conspicuous as is that iu B. TJmMlus.
Douglass, in his Paper on tho Grouse in the Transactions of the Limiean Society, speaks of this bird, niidcr the licad of T. Umbdlus, as
follows In tho valleys of the Kocky Mountains, 54° north latitude, and a few miles northward near tho sources of Peace River, a supposed
variety of this species is found,—different from T. Umbellm of Wilson. On comparing my specimens from that country with some
which I prepared in the States of Nc'V York and Pennsylvania, and on tho shores on the chain of lakes in Upper Canada, I find the following
differences: First, the northern bird is constantly one third smaller, of a very light speckled mi.xed gray, having little of that rusty color so
couspicuons in the southern bird; secondly, tho rufilo consists invariably of only twenty feathci-s, these short, black, and with but little azure
glossiness; the crest feathers are few and short. Should these chai'actcrs hereafter be considered of sufficient importance for constituting
a distinct species, it might perhaps be well to call it T. Umbctloide$;’ I t seems to separate the eastern from the western species, for while
the former possesses both the gray and rod vnvictics, tlic latter has only the red, and the present species but the gray. I t is distributed from
the South Pass of the Rocky iToiintains northward throughout the entire range, and on the slopes as far as the woods extend. I t has also
been found eastward to the shores of Slave Lake.
The species may be dcacrilicd as follows : U]'pcr part of head and neck brownish gray, with central feathers of the crest black, crossed
with irregular bai-s of ynfons brown, a white lino from the bill miming to and nudcr the eye, with spot of same behind and rather above
tho eyes. Feathers above the ruff, of a darker shade than tho head, broadly marked with black, a central strip of white, sometimes widening
at the tip. RiilT moderate, glossy black, with purple reflections. Upper part of back barred with black, and rufous, these crossing but not
including the sbaft, wliicli is reddish broivn. Rest of hack and upper tail coverts light gray mottled with black, each feather having a black
spot terminating in a ycllowish-wbite, iri-egnlarly licart-shapcd spot. These arc indistinct upon some of the feathers, and the black spot
only shows through the gray color a t intervals. The upper wing coverts arc reddish, with central streaks of white, these last predominating,
giving a very light ap|)earanco to this portion of tlie bird. Wings darker than tho back, each feather witli a central line of «hito, and the
tertials spotted with black, this last being quite conspicuous on tlie inner webs of some, «Iiile the outer webs have vciy broad lines of wbitc
next the shaft, and separated from the bro«1iish gray of the outer portion by a narrow line of dark brown. Spurious wings dark brown,
shafts reddish brown. Primaries same color, but the outer webs liavo alternate marks of yellowish white and bro'vii. Tail light gray,
irregularly crossed by narrow, intcrrnpted bars of black, and mottled also throughout the entire feather with the same; a broad band of
black crosses the tail near the tip, but is interrupted by the two central feathers, «-liicli preserve their gray hue thronghout their length.
Throat white, spotted with brown on the sides, a narrow baud of vnfons, spotted with black, crosses tlie upper part of the breast. Rest
of niidor parts wliitc, the feathers crossed with bars of dark brown, most distinct on the flanks. Under tail coverts dark gray irregularly
marked witli faint lines of black, and baring very l>road white ends. Under part of tail fcatliere of a silvery gray, less distinctly mottled
and crossed with black than the upper side. Upjior mandible black; under mandible born color a t base, tip black. Tarsi brownish white.
Feet brown.
The plate represents the t«-o sexes of the natural size.