184 GRUUSE, BOB—Wlll’l‘lCS, l‘l'l‘t‘.

grayish wavy bars on the upper parts, and the smaller bill. For n comparison of (Pele/L17 with ru/aslm'x see Auk, ii, 1555, p. 1H3,

[fang/e.#Newtoundland.

Nest and q/ys unknown.

“ According to Mr. Weleh. these Ptarmigan are numerous in New- foundland, where they are strictly confined to the bleak sides and sum- mits of rocky hills and mountains of the interior” (Brewster, I. 6.).

305. Tympanuchus americanus (Awe/1,). PRAIRIE IIeN. Ad. 6 .——U1)[ie1‘ parts barred with rut’ous and blaek and spotted with rut'ous; sides of the neck with tut'ts generally eomposed of ten or more narrow, stiti’ened black feathers marked with buti'y and rutous,their ends rounded, the skin beneath these tut'ts bare; tail rounded, t'useous, the, inner feathers somewhat mottled with Oclll‘aeeousdmfi, tip white; throat butt'y; breast and belly white, evenly barred with black. xii]. 9 .sh'imilar, but the neck tufts much smaller and the tail barred with oehraeeous-butl‘ or rufous. L., 18'00; W., 9'00; T., 4'00; B. from N., ":2.

Range—Prairies ot‘ Mis. ippi Valley, south to Louisiana, west to north— ern Indian Territory, middle Kansas, Nebraska, and eastern North and South Dakota; east to Kentucky, Indiana, northwestern ()hio, southwestern Michi- gan, and southwestern Ontario; north to southern Manitoba (Bendire).

Nest, on the ground. [if/lax, eleven to fourteen, butl'y olive, sometimes finely speckled with brownish, 1'70 x 1‘25.

“This familiar game bird inhabits our fertile prairies, seldom fre- quenting the timbered lands except during sleety storms or when the ground is covered with snow. Its flesh is dark, and it, is not very highly esteemed as a table bird.

“During the early breeding season they feed largely upon grass- hoppers, crickets. and other forms of insect life. but afterward chiefly upon our cultivated grains. gleaned from the stubble in autumn and the eornfields in winter: they are also fond of tender buds, berries. and fruits. They run about much like our domestic fowls;but with ainore statelv carriage. When flushed they rise from the ground with a less whirring sound than the RutTed Grouse or Bob-white, and their flight is not as swift, but more protracted and with less apparent effort, flap- ping and sailing along. often to the distance of a mile or more. In the fall the birds eolleel together and remain in flocks until the warmth of spring quickens their blood and awakcs the passions of love; then, as with a view to fairness and the survival of the fittest, they select a smooth open courtship ground (usually called a ‘seratching ground’), Where the males assemble at the early dawn to \‘ic with each other in courage and pompous display, uttering at the same time their love call, a loud booming noise; as soon as this is heard by the hen birds desirous of mating they quietly put in an appearance. squat upon the