The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-16
The Daily Atsns.
Game. Birds Of the Wsst-Grouse,


Written for the Ell Paso journal by J r. Barnes
Oft eleven species Of grouse, known
by a greater number Of common names
only two are general in Illinois, while a
third was at one time generously distrib-
uted over the northwestern counties of
this State. Science has reduced the whole
number of American grouse to SIX genera,
and the authorities on ornithology have so
| plainly classified them, that no farther
confusion need occur as to what should be
considered Grouse. What is known by
some as the Quail is called Partridge in
some localities, and in others the Partridge
is called Pheasant, and the eleven differ
ent grouse are known by eighteen differ,
ent common names, while the quail are
only allied to the grouse genera, and are
really the partridge family, of seven Amer
lean species, only one Of which, the quail
(tetrao coturrix) or bob white, is known
in Illinois or the Eastern United States.
The two Illinois grouse are: First, the
prairie hen or pinnated grouse, known in
the State of New York as far back as 1871
as the heath hen" and now scientifically
known as cnpidonsa cupido. Second, the
pheasant or ruffled grouse, scientifically
known az Bondssus un,betlus The third
(no longer an Illinois game bird), the
sharp tailed grouse, known in late author
tiles as I'edtocutes phasidneltus Strange
as it may appear, yet it is nevertheless
true, these three birds have been described
by authors Hnder fifteen different scientific
names within the last 100 years. The
prairie hen, or pinnated grouse, is too
well known by every one to need de-
scription here. The sharp tailed grouse
mo longer known in 1llinois) is found in
Iowa and Dakota, only on the prairies, and
generally near the Big Sioux River. 1t
differs from the prairie,hen in having the
under.part white; stouter bill feathered
to the base Of the toes more wedge
shaped tail with central feathers elong-
ated; feathers marked with. Vshaped
white spots. especially on the breast, and
also some ushaped markings, 1t is near
ly as large, and in some Instances, though |
very rarely, exceeds the prairie hen in |
size. The meat, unlike the prairie hen,
is white and very delicious. Like the 9TH
err Illinois grouse it has tail of eighteen
feathers.
The pheasant scientifically known as
Bondssus un,bellus also called the par
fridge, is a smaller bird. and was at one
time quite abundant along the heavily tim
bered and billy portions of the Illinois
River. 1t is yet easily found in the more
sequestered and billy portions of the north |
western counties. But this bird, like Il Q |
sharp-tailed grouse, is soon to be thing
of the past in Illinois.
Description Length, Is inches aar eX-
panse, "a inches; head. neck, and crest
black, and pale chestnut in spots and bars;
lower part of back and rump, feathers
broadly terminated with chestnut and grey,
notified with duskv, roundish paler spots
toward the ends of the feathers; black ruff
presenting violet reflections coverts Of
wing more notified and rufous, a number
of the wing tertials with oblong whtish
brown spots on the outer webs only ;hpri-
maries, pale dusky; inner webs, brownish
longest, long auxiliary feathers, white, with
below the feathers, with pale-ru and
grey bars, and broad white tips; downy
vent feathers, nearly white; lower tail-cov-
erts, pale-rutous, inverse arrow heads of
white; TANKS, most distinctly barred; feet
and bill, pale, livid brown; iris hazel in
many birds tail almost wholly gray male,
run, DrOau Dlack leatnerS on sizes OF neck, |
female, ruff, smaller, dusky brown. An
dubon, wilson, Bonaparte and NuttaU.
The mountainous regions OF the Middle
States were the usual preferred residence
of the ruffed grouse (called the partridge |
in Connecticut and Eastward and although |
it is known to once have extended over the
whole breadth of the continent, northwerd
as far as the fifty sixth parallel and south
ward to Texas, Mr.. Audubon says that
there were portions of South Carolina in
which it never existed. Its flesh is white
and very tender. 1t is SAID by some per
sons that their flesh is poisonous after they
have eaten the leaves of the laurel Kat |
mia tatitolia), but Mr. Audubon appears
to doubt this 1t is the only one of the
species, and In fact tho only, bird that pro-
duces the drumming" or thunderlike
noise, in the localities where it exists 1t
is very shy and takes wing at the slightest
intrusion. Should a sportsman ever be
fortunate enough to see one strutting and |
drumming he would ever after hesitate
before he shot one 1t may be safely SAID
that they are not only the proudest but the
game bird on this continent.
They are rarely if ever found in H0cks of
1 T. r l