! )1- : n d u a ( ; a r u s ,
Bill uplwr mandible euree.1 at tip : large airsaes m each side o f the nreh ea,nM- o f hxfb.tion. but «rnn.Ug hidd.n bg tke feathers
wings xwnnded, thh-d and fourth ju ilh longest. Util long, eomjnxsed o f iwcntg broad fa th e rs. Tarsi feathered to the toes.
TUo liiids iucludcl in tliis gcuus arc inl.ubitaut.s of tbo western pori
fle.-li white, aud much esteciuod a« food. They ave,
7. DENDRAGAPUS OBSCrRUS,
8, “ UKTIARDSONII,
of North Ainoriea. They
Pr.ATK YIT.
PI.ATR VIII.
T. Y R U R U S,
Bill strong. Wings moderate: the third qnill longest. Tail rerg much forked; exterior feathers curved outwards. Tarsi feathered.
12. LYRURUS TCTRIX............................................................................................................................................Pl.atb XII.
p'or tho next .«pocica I propose to employ SwaiiiBori's term of
Fov the fourth group, also consisting of only two species. T retain Roiehei,bach's genus
C R X T I i O C R R C U S ,
C A aX A (' B,
Jlead without eirsl. neek destituir o f air-saes : tail long, o f sixteen feathers.
These birds are natives of North Amc
sus)iicious nature; their flesh dark and b
I, dwelliug in the thick parts of the forests ; go iu lloek.s ;
1'. They are.
e generally of i
Bill compressed. Base o f culmen prolonged towards the crown o f the head, dividing the frontal feathers. Tail long, o f twenlg feathers,
which are lanceolate and pointed.
This bird is an inhabitant of the de.sert plains of westciu North America, and lives upon the Artemisia, which abounds
those regions,
13. CENTROCERCUS UROPHASIANUS. .
9. CAN.VCE CANADENSIS................................................................................................................... •
10. " FRANKLINII.....................................................................................................................................
Mr. Bourdmau informs me that this species allows one to approach very closely to it nlicu in the woods, without maiu-
festing any alarm; and the only indicutiou it gives of its int.-nded flight, is hy raising ti.e membrane over the eye to its
utmost c.xtcnt, when the bird almost immediately takes wing, flying only, however, to u short distaiicc.
For the ucxt species, au iuliahitant of Nortl.eru Asia, and remarkable for the pcculi.av formation of its primary quills, 1
The next two spccios I include in the genus instituted by Prof. Baird,
] ^E I ) 1BCA£T ES .
F A L C l . P B X X r S ,
rn THE FOLlOWINTr CIIAUACTEK3.
rong, moderate. Neck destitute o f lengthened fcathei's. Wngs short, rounded. Tail short, gi-adiiated, the upper middle eorcrts
extending begond the tail. Tarsi feathered to the base o f the toes.
The Sharp-tail Grouse ave dwellci-s of the plain, nnd arc found in large flocks ■ western ami northern prairies.
Unid crested; wings short; the first four primaries greallg falcate; third and fourth
Tarsi ihieklg featha-cd.
The oidy one known is,
11. FALCIPENNIS IIARTLAUHII...........................................................................
For the sixth genus, composed also of a .single specie«, I retain Swaiuson's name.
longest. Tail moderate, o f sixteen feathers.
14. PEDIECzETES COLUMBIANUS,
15. ■■ PHASIANELLUS,
. PI..VTB XIV.
. Pl-ATK XV.
Ilcarnc says of this last species; “ These birds are always found iu the soutlicrti ¡lart of Ilndsou’s Buy, and nro very )>lcn-
tifiil in the interior parts of the country, and in some winters a feiv of them arc shot a t York I'ort (hit. 57“ north), but never
i-eacli so far north ns Ohiirchill. In coloi' they are not very iiiiliko the English Iicu-]>hca5aut, but the tail is short am! pointed,
like that of the common d uck; and there is no perceivable diflcrciicc in plumngc between the male nnd female.