ORDER GALLING THE GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 



ORDER GALLJN-ZE. THE GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 

 The following,- families of GalUnce are represented in Illinois: 



A. Tarsi spurred, and head partly naked. 



1. Phasianidae. 



B. Tarsi without spurs, and head entirely feathered, except, sometimes, a bare space 



over eyes. 



2. Tetraonidae. 



SUBORDER PHASIANI. 

 FAMILY PHASIANID^BJ. THE PHEASANTS. 



CHAR. Hind toe short and elevated, as in Tetraonidce. Tarsi spurred. Head partly 

 naked. Tail often vaulted or arched. 



Two subfamilies of Phasianidce are represented in the Illinois 

 fauna, one of them (P/iasianince), however, only by introduced 

 species. Their characters are as follows : 



Phasianinae. Head mostly feathered, except round eyes. Tail elongated, graduated, 

 arched, or vaulted. Plumage of sexes widely different, the female much smaller 

 than the male and without brilliant coloring. (Introduced species only.) 



Meleagrinae. Head entirely naked, or else with only small hair-like feathers or short tufts 

 of. imperfect feathers. Tail moderate as to length, flat, rounded, the feathers broad 

 and nearly truncated at tips. Sexes essentially alike in plumage but females duller 

 in color than males. 



SUBFAMILY MELEAGRIN-ffi. THE TURKEYS. 



CHAR. Head unfeathered, the skin wrinkled and often warted, the forehead with a 

 more or less developed extensile fleshy appendage (smaller in females). Nasal foss;e bare. 

 Tail moderately lengthened, rounded at end, not vaulted nor arched, the feathers (more 

 than twelve) broad and nearly truncated at tips. Hind toe elevated; tarsus armed with 

 spurs in the male. Plumage of the sexes essentially alike, but females somewhat duller in 

 color than males. 



The subfamily Meleagrince, or Turkeys, belongs to that branch 

 or section of the great gallinaceous Order ( GalUnce) to which 

 Professor Huxley has given the name of Alectoropodes, and 

 which have been later named Gallinve Alectoropodes by Messrs. 



