Bill short, stout, with the upper mandible convex, thin edged, without notches, its tip thin edged, obtuse, the lower mandible with the dorsal line slightly convex, the edges thin, the tip rounded. Head small, oblong; neck of moderate length; body very bulky. Feet short, stout; tarsus partially or entirely feathered; hind toe small, third long, lateral nearly equal, all scutellate, anterior webbed at the base. Claws moderate or long, arched, rather depressed, blunt. Plumage full and soft; feathers with the plumule much developed. Wings rather short, convex, rounded. Tail various, of more than twelve feathers. A bare coloured space on each side of the neck, usually concealed by the feathers; but in some species capable of being distended so as to protrude. A bare red membrane over the eye, more developed in the males. Tongue triangular, pointed; œsophagus with an enormous crop; stomach a very powerful gizzard, having the lateral muscles extremely developed, the epithelium dense, with two concave grinding surfaces; the intestine long and wide; cœca excessively elongated, cylindrical, with internal longitudinal ridges. Nest on the ground, rudely constructed. Eggs numerous, spotted. Young covered with stiffish down. GENUS I. TETRAO, Linn. GROUSE. Bill short, robust; upper mandible with the dorsal line decurved, the ridge convex, narrowed at the base, the sides convex, the edges sharp and overlapping, the tip thin-edged and rounded; lower mandible with the angle long and wide, the dorsal line convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the tip rounded. Nostrils roundish, in the fore part of the large and feathered nasal depression. Head small, ovate; neck of ordinary length; body large and full. Feet stout, of moderate length; tarsus short, feathered, at the lower part sometimes bare, and scutellate; toes bare, scutellate, with a marginal fringe of pectinate scales. Claws rather large, arched, compressed, obtuse. Plumage full, soft, rather blended. Wings rather short, convex, much rounded, the third and fourth quills longest. Tail rounded, of more than twelve feathers. * Tarsus partially bare. 295. 1. Tetrao Umbellus, Linn. Ruffed Grouse.--Partridge Pheasant. Plate XLI. Male and Female.