[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Pag 186

breeding season, and capable of being inflated to the size of a small
orange; this is done when the bird makes its familiar "booming" noise.
They are very good "table birds" and although they are still very
abundant in most of their range, so many are being killed for market,
that it has become necessary to make more stringent laws relating to the
killing and sale of Pinnated Grouse, as they are often called. They nest
anywhere on the prairie, in hollows on the ground under overhanging
bushes or tufts of grass. They lay from eight to fifteen eggs having a
buffy or olive buff ground color, sparingly and finely sprinkled with
brown; size 1.70 x 1.25.

305a. ATTWATER PRAIRIE CHICKEN. _Tympanuchus americanus attwateri._

Range.--Coast region of Louisiana and Texas.

This is a slightly smaller and darker variety of the Pinnated Grouse.
Its eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the more northerly
distributed bird.

306. HEATH HEN. _Tympanuchus cupido._

Range.--Island of Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

This species is similar to the preceding, but has the scapulars more
broadly tipped with buff, the axillars barred, and the pinnated feathers
on the neck pointed. It is slightly smaller than the western species. It
is found on the wooded portions of the island, where its breeding habits
are the same as those of the Ruffed Grouse. Mr. Brewster probably has
the only authentic set of the eggs of this species. They are of a
yellowish green color and are unspotted. Size 1.70 x 1.25. A number of
Prairie Hens liberated on the island several years ago are apparently
thriving well, and nests found there now would be fully as apt to belong
to this species.

[Illustration 188:(baby birds)]
[Illustration: Prairie Chicken. Heath Hen.]
[Illustration: deco.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 187

307. LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN. _Tympanuchus pallidicinctus._

Range.--Prairies from southwestern Kansas through Indian Territory to
western Texas.

A smaller and paler species than the Prairie Chicken. Never as abundant
as the common Pinnated Grouse, this species appears to be becoming
scarcer each year. Its nests are concealed under overhanging brush or
placed under a large tuft of prairie grass, and are generally lined with
a few grasses or leaves. They lay from eight to twelve eggs of a buffy
color, much lighter than those of the Prairie Chicken, and unmarked.
Size 1.65 x 1.25.