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 × 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 × 1.50. PHEASANTS. Family PHASIANIDÆ * * * 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. The Ring-necked species seems to be the only one that has obtained a really strong foothold, it being now very abundant in Oregon and Washington, and adjacent states, and also found in abundance on many game preserves in the east. The males of any of the species may at once be distinguished from any of our birds by the long tail. Their nests are hollows in the leaves under tufts of grass or bushes. They lay from eight to fourteen eggs of a buff or greenish buff color, unmarked; size 1.50 × 1.30. [Illustration 190: Sage Hen.] [Illustration: Pale greenish drab.] [Illustration: Greenish buff.] [Illustration: left hand margin.] Page 189 [Illustration 191: RING-NECKED PHEASANT.] Page 190 TURKEYS. Family MELEAGRIDÆ