BONASA SABINEI. B a t h d .
S.\I!1NE'S filiOUSE.
TIvTRAO SABINEI. Doug., Traiw. Linn. Societ., vol. xvi. (1829), p. 139.—Swain. & Rich., Fauu. Bor. Amer., vol. ii., p. 343 (1831).
TETRAO TMBELLUS. Ncwh., Zool. Cal. & Oreg. Route. Rep. P. R. R. Surv.. vol, vi„ p. 94 (1857).
BONASA SABINEI. Bairii, U. S. P. R. R. Exp. & Surv,, vol. ix. p. 631.—Ib. Birds of North America, p. C30.—Coop. & Suckl,, Nat. llist.
Wash. Tcn it., p. 224.—Elliot, Proc. Acad. Nat. Scicn., 1864.
ir continent, is very common on the coast oflVashingtou and Oregon Tcrrito-
■intainous districts; but ou account
;o still nnd close to
Tiiia handsome bird, au inhabitant of the western portio
rics, and also iu Vancouver's I.slaiid.
It resembles in its habits the Raffed Grouse of the more eastern States, and frequents wooded and r
o f the dense cover in which it tliiefly remains, it is approached w ith difflculty.
In tho spring, the dvummiug of the male may be heard in the early morning, summoning the hens into his pvcscuce. This noise, rc-
sembliiig the rolling of a distant drum, is produced by rapid and violent beating of the wings, aud can be distinguished a considerable way off.
Tlic females soon as.semble, and no doubt greatly admire the pompous bearing of their lord, as he struts with expanded tail before them.
The species is iiolygamous; the male deserting the females during the period of incubation, and leaving tho young brood entirely to
their watchful carc. The uest Is placed in some thicket, the better to conceal its contents from the prying eyes of some thieving crow or
raven, cither of which liavc a decided weakiies.s for making a meal upon the eggs.
The young run as soon a.s tliey are hatched, aud, a t the slightest note of alarm from their vigilant mother, squat, aud li
the ground as to render it no easy undertaking to discover them.
Dougla-ss was the first to constitute this bird as distinct from the common Bonasa Uinbellus, on account principally of its dark red
color, aud the absence of any of tlio gray hues so pi-evaleiit iu the eastern species. Prof. Baird, in the Birds of North America, is also
ineliucd to consider it entitled to specific distinctness, basing liis opinion not only on the color of tbe plumage, but also upon the great
length of tlic middle toe.
I f this last character was couftiicii to the westeru bird exclusively, it would undoubtedly, in coiijiiuction with the diffeicucc iu color, bo
ft good reason for giving it a specific value ; but as an equal Iciigtli of tlie toe can also be found in the Ruffoil Grouse, it would seem best
uot to take that into coiisUleratioii; aud therefore this bird’s claim.? for scparaflou would rest ujioii the color of its ))himagc.
At the jireseiit time, it would sccin that no specimen 1ms been obtained, among the varying examples of tlie Bonasa Uinbellus, on
the eastern coast, which [ireseut.s the deep rich hues of the typical form of Bonasa &ibinei; aud as the Boimsa Umhelloides, an ajq.arently
good and distinct species, inhabits an intermediate region, it is perhaps best to retain the western form under tho appellatiou given to it by
Douglass, rather tlmii to consider it merely a variety of the common B. Uuibollus.
11 thc.sc
Still, if a t some future period examples should be procured west of the Rocky Mountains, possessing the different variations, froi
deep red color«, to the light gray so perceptible iu some specimens of the Ruffed Grouse, the coucUision woiiUl be a natural one
sidov tlie birds iiilmbiting both sides of the continent ns hut one specie.«; altliough the singular fact would remain, tlmt they v
by a different and smaller specie,«.
c divided
I regret tlmt siilHcient material from tho west coa.«t has uot yet been obtained to settle this question satisfactorily.
The flc«h of Sabine's Grouse is white, toudcr, aud well llavorcd, in no way inferior, I believe, to that of its eastern relative; nud as
the forests of those distant regions arc gradually thinned by the axe of the hardy iiioiicer, nud the ¡nirsiiit of these birds is rendered less
dilfioult, then imdoubtmily they will become as much au object of attentiou to the si)oit.«iuan as arc the RufiVd Grouse in our more
thickly po|nilated States a t tho pieseiit day.
My plate rc|n'c,soiit,s the two sexes, of the natural size,; nud they may be de.«ciibed a.s folloivs:
General color dark orange chestnut, mottled upon tho hack aud wings with blaek, each feather having a (listinct central streak of
reddish white. Head and neck lighter than the body; Hanks reddish yellow, barred with blaek, and having the central marks of
reddish white. Priiimries dark reddish brown, mottled on the outer webs with reddish yellow. The tail, dark red, is tijiped with
gray, with a subtermiuul bur of black, bcj’oiid which is niiothcr line of gray, followeil by eight or ten irregular narrow bars of blnck.
The under tail coverts arc ornngo eliestuut iudistinctly barred with black, terminating with an niigiilar white spot. Tufts o
u sides of
tbe neck dark metallic grccii, Peatlici-s on tho thighs and tarsi reddish gray. Bill ihirk brown, feet yellowish.