PEDIAEOAETES COLUMBIANUS. E l l io t .
SIIAlir-TAILED GKOCSE.
TETRAO PHASIANELLUS, Ord. Giithr. Gcog,, 2d Amer. edit., ii., 1815, p. 317.—Nutt., Man., vol. i., 1832, p. CG9.—And., Orn. Biog., vol. iv.,
1838, p. 509, pi. 382.—Ib. Syn., 1839, p. 205.—Ib. Birds of Amer., vol. v., 1842, )i. 110, pi. 298.—Newb., Zool. Cal. and Oi-, Route.
Rep. P. R. R. Snrv., vol. vi., IS57, p. 94.—Bon. Syn., 1828, p. 127,—Coop, and Suckl., Nat. Hist. Wash. Territ., p. 223.—Bon. Am.
Ornitli., vol, iii., p. 44, plate.
PIIASIANUS COLUMBIANUS, Ord. Gutli. Geog., 2d Amer. edit., 1815, vol. ii., p. 317.
TETRAO UROPU.ASIANliLLUS. Doug., Trans. Linn. Soc., vol. xvi., 1829, p. 130.
PKDIAECAETES COLUMBIANUS. Elliot, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sciences (1SC3), p. , and 1864, ¡i.
PEDIAEOAETES PHASIANELLUS. Baird, U. S. Ex. lixp. P. li. 1!., vol. ix.
This fine bird, often confoinidcd with the wcll-knoini Pinnated Grouse or Prairie Chicken (Cupidonia Cupuh), dwells on the plains bordering
the Mississippi and ilissoiiri rivers, and so on westward across the continent. I t has never, I believe, boon obtained to tlio cast of the .Mississippi,
but supplies, on the vast western plains, tlio place of its near ally. In tlicir habits these tivo species someivhat rcscmhlc each otiier, but the
Sharp-tail seems to ho destitute of the gular sacks so prominent in the other during tlie spring. They congregate in lloeks, sometimes of
many liiindrcds, and as tlicy lie close, and fly only a short distance on being disturbed, afford very good sport to the gniiiier. They rise with
the wliirring noise, caused by tbo ra|>id beating of the wings, coininou to this family, and as they commence their flight, utter a clucking
sound often reiiuateci. They fly gcuei-ally straight and rather swift, but in tlie fall arc easily bronglit down by a cool sportsman. Their llosli
resembles that of the ''prairie cbicken;” in fact, I have been unable to distinguish tlic one from the otiier, when both have been sci-vcd up
together. The ¡ircsent species is never found on the higli lands or in tlie forests, bat is only to be procured upon the prairies, which arc
alone its natural home.
Dr, Sucklcy says of this Grouse, that •• W’c llrst noticed the species in Nebraska, near Fort Union, a t the mouth of the Yellowstone River.
From th a t point to the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and AVashington Tcrritoi-ic.s, tlio species is exceedingly abumlant, wherever there is open
country and siilflciency of food. In certain places they arc in great numbci's in tho autumn, congregating in large flock.«, especially in tlie
vicinity of patches of w ild rye, and more recently near settlements where there arc w'licat stubbles. They resemble the I’innatcd Grouse iu
liabits, and are good both for lablo and for sport. In places ivhero they arc nuinorons, they may fi'cqnciitly be found on cold mornings in
tlie antnmn or early winter, pcrclied on fences or leafless trees, simning tlicm.selvcs iu tlio early snnliglit. .Vt Fort Dalles, on the 1st of April,
1855, a young bird scnvcoly two days old was bi-ought to me. This caily incubation wonld lead us to suspect that the species in favorable
situations ims two oi- more broods during the season. The young bird aboi'o mentioned was conlidcd to the matronly care of a hen with a
young brood of cliickcns, but the young Grouse, not uiuloi-.standing tlic kindness of its fostcr-pai-ent, ran and hid itself as soon as poasible,
and probably perished that very niglit from cold.”
This species has been considered by ornithologists generally us tbo same as Linnaiiis’s Tetrao PhasianeUus, and is mentioned, in the I’arious
works and papers devoted to this scicnoc, by that specific appellation. A iinmber of spocimons of Sharp-Tailed Grouse having arrived a t the
Smithsonian Institution fi-flm Arctic America, it was discovered on examjiiation that tlioy were the species described by the great Swede,
and that our familiiiv bird was probably unknown to him. The points of ditfci enco will lie fully described in iny article on the Pvdiaceuetes
PhaskineUus.
The plate rcpvesents the male, female, and young of the natural size. The latter I believe have never before been figured, and I am indebted
to my friend AY. J. Hays, Esq., well known as an artist unequalled in this country for his pictures of animal life, for the opportunity of introducing
them into my plate. These cliicks wore obtained by tliis gentleman during an oxcur.sion ho made a short time since up tlie Mi.ssouri river,
and arc the only speciinoiis that I am aware of, in any cabinet in this country. Tliis spccie.s is sometimes brought to tlie markets in this city
with tlic Pinnated Grouse, which are sent from tiio c.xtrcnic AV'cst, w licn there is a long continuance of cold weather. It is not generally dis-
tiiiguislied by the poultry vendors from the better-knoivii gronse, although by some of them it goes by the name of white-breasted prairie cbicken.