308. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. _Pedioecetes phasianellus phasianellus._

Range.--Interior of British America, from the United States boundary
northwest to the Yukon.

Sharp-tailed Grouse are similar in form to the Prairie Chicken, but are
somewhat smaller and very much lighter in color, being nearly white
below, with arrowhead markings on the breast and flanks. This species is
very abundant in Manitoba and especially so on the plains west of Hudson
Bay. Their nests are generally concealed under a thicket or a large tuft
of grass, and are lined with grasses and feathers. They lay from six to
fifteen eggs of a drab color, very minutely specked all over with brown.
Size 1.70 x 1.25.

308a. COLUMBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. _Pedioecetes phasianellus
columbianus._

Range.--Northwestern United States and British Columbia to central
Alaska. Both the nesting habits and eggs of this variety are the same as
the last, with which species, the birds gradually intergrade as their
ranges approach.

308b. PRAIRIE SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. _Pedioecetes phasianellus
campestris._

Range.--Plains of the United States from the Mississippi to the Rockies.
This sub-species shades directly into the two preceding where their
ranges meet, and only birds from the extreme parts of the range of each
show any marked differences. The nesting habits and eggs of all three
are not to be distinguished.

[Illustration 189: Pale buff.]
[Illustration: Buffy drab.]
[Illustration: Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 188

309. SAGE HEN. _Centrocercus urophasianus._

Range.--Sage plains of the Rocky Mountain region from British Columbia
to New Mexico, and from California to Dakota. This handsome bird is the
largest of the American Grouse, being about 30 inches long (the hen bird
is about six inches shorter). It may easily be recognized by its large
size, its peculiar graduated tail with extremely sharp pointed feathers,
and the black belly and throat. Their nests are hollows scratched out in
the sand, under the sage bushes, generally with no lining. The nesting
season is during April and May, they laying from six to twelve eggs of a
greenish drab color, spotted with brown. Size 2.15 x 1.50.

PHEASANTS. Family PHASIANIDAE

* * * RING-NECKED PHEASANT. _Phasianus torquatus._

Several species of Pheasants have been introduced into the United
States, among them being the Ring-necked, English, and Green Pheasants.