CENTEOCEECUS UEOPHASIANUS. S w a i n .
COCK-OF-TIIE-l'LAISS. SAGE COCK.
TETRAO UROPHASIANUS- Bou„ Zool. Juiivu., vol. iii., Jun., 1S28, p. 214.—lb. Am. Ornitli., vol. iii., 1830, pi. xxi., fig. 1.—Ib. Mon, Tctrao,
Trans* Am. Phil. Soe., N. S., vol, iii., 1830, p. 390.—Ib. Gcog. ami Comp. List Birds, p. 44, No. 287.—Doug., Ti-ans, Liun. Soc., vol.
xvi., 1S29, p. 133.—Nutt., Man., vol. i-, 1832, p. CG6.—Aud., Ornith. Biog., vol. iv., 1S38, p. 503, pi. 371.—Ib. Syn., |i. 205,—Ib.
Birds of Aincr., vol. v., 1842, p. lOG, pi. 297.—Newb., Zool. Cal. and Or, Route, Rep. P. R. U. Surv., i-ol. vi., 1857, p. 95.—Gray,
Gen. of Buds, vol. iii-
TETliAO (CENTROCERCUS) UROPHASIANUS. Swain and Ricli., Faun. Bor. Amor., vol. ii., 1831, p. 368, pi. Iviii.
CENTROCERCUS UROPHASIANUS. Baird, U. S. P. R. R. Exj). Exped., vol. iv., p. C24.—Gray, Cat, Bii-ds, Brit. Mas,, ¡lai-t iii., p. 4G, 1844.
Cooper and Snokl., Nat- Hist. AVash. Territ., p. 222.—Jard., Game Birds, Nat. Libr. Birds, vol. iv., p. 140, pi. xvii.—Elliot,
Proceed. Acad. Nat. Scion. (18C4), p-
TETRAO PHASIANELLUS. Ord. Gutli. Geog., 2d Am. edit., vol. ii., 1815, p. 317.
COCK-OF-TUE-PLAINS. Lewis and Clark, vol. ii., p. ISO, sp, 2.
Tins splendid bird, for its great size, stands pre-eminently iu the front rank of the American Grouse, and is only exooodod in tbat particular,
among all tbe members of this family, by the stately European Cock-of-tho-A\'’oods (letrao TTrogallus), aud its near ally (T. Urogalloides).
Tlic Sage Cock is never obseri-od iu tlio eastern portion of our continent, but dwells on tlic vast plains which lie on both sides of tlic Rocky
Mountains, and wherever, on those almost endless tracts, the Sage Bush (Arlcmisia Tndentata) grows, there the Cock-of-the-Plaius abounds.
The flight of this species is strong, and, a t times, well sustained ; it rises witli tlic load wliii-r-r peculiar to this cla-ss of birds, and progre.-ses
by alternate flapping and sailing, generally in a straight line, until hidden by a bill or lost to the eye in the far distance. The courting season
commences in the early spring, generally Alavch or bogimiiiig of April. At such times, about sunrise, the male, percbod n|ion some billock,
lowers his wings until the primaries rest upon the ground, spreads out lus tail like a fan, and «-ith the gular sacks inflated to a prodigious
size, ami head drawn- back, he struts up and down before the admiring gaze of tiic assembled hens; then lowering his head until it is on a
level witli his body, be cxiiausts tlic air contniiiod in the sacks, prodncing a loud grating noise resembling hurr-hurr-r-r-hoo, emliiig iu a
“ deep, liollow tone,‘not unlike the sound produced by blov ing into a large rccd,” I t is in tlii.s position I liavo endeavored to represent tbe
male in tbo plate. The nest, formed of tivigs aud grass, is always placed upon the ground, near the bank of some stream, or shultcvcd by
low bushes. The hen lays abnnt fifteen or sixteen eggs, of a dark brown color, sjiottcd on the larger end witli chocolate. In about thi-ce
weeks tho chicks appear, and, like all of this fainil)-, run as soon ns tlicy arc hatcbod, deserting the vicinity of the nest in a feiv lionrs.
During tlio snmmoi- und autumn these Grouse go in small flocks, sometimes only in pairs; but in tlie winter and spring they congregate in
immense packs, to tlic nnmbci- of several liuiidrcds, and roam over the prairies in quest of subsistence. Tlicir food consists cliicfly of the leaves
of tlic Artemisin, whicli, being very bitter, rcndoi-s tlieir flesh strong, and a t times utterly unfit to eat, thus often doin-iving some hungry traveller
on the plains of what promised him a delicious ami savory meal. In tlic antnnin, according to Nuttall, they frequc
Columbia River, wlierc they feed on the Pulpy-leaved-Tliorn; a t which time they arc considered good food by the m
quantities of them in iicts.
Dr. Sucklcy, in his " Natural History of AAGsliingtoii Territory,” speaking of this bird, says: " I have dissected tliese Grouse in situation.s
whci-c there was abundance of gia.is seeds, wild grain, grasshoppers, and otlicr kinds of food tliat a person would imagine would be readily
oaten by tbcm, yet I have failed to obtain a single particle of any otiior article of food iu tlieir full -stomiichs than tho leaves of tlic Ai-tomi.sia.
This food must citlicr iic liiglily iircfoi-rcd, or else he essential to thoii- existence. Tlioy seem to liavo the faculty of doing a long time without
water, as I have found them in habitually di-y, desert situations, during severe droughts, a long distance from «
most abundant on tlic sontiicrii sloiic of tlic Blue Moiiutaiiis in tbo vicinity of Powder River. Here there arc imn
well adapted lo the species in every respect, Tlic bird hides well, and lies close, frequently allowing a man’s approach ti
AAGlh the following vci-y iiitorusliiig account of the Sago Cock, I close my article o
zoology of the route for a railroad to the Pacific Ocean by Dr. J. S. Newberry : “ This is
s of the
s, who take i
I have found this bird
msc desert Sago plains,
within a few feet.”
n tlii.s spccios. I t is taken from the report upon tlie
s the largest of tho American Grouse, the male svcighiiig
from five to six pounds. It is when in full [iluiiiagc ratbei- a handsome bird, a t least decidedly better looking than any flgur