4: BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Sclater and Salvin. To the same suborder belong the common 

 domestic fowl, the Guinea-fowl (Numida meleagris}, the Old 

 World PJMsianidce, or Pheasants, and all of the Grouse and 

 Partridge families (Tetraonidce and Perdicidoe}. To the other 

 suborder (known as Gallince Peristeropodes] belong the tropical 

 American Cracidce (Curassows, Guans, and Chachalacas) and the 

 Australian Megapodidce (Mound-Fowl or Brush-Turkeys). 



The MeleagrmcB, as at present known, include a single genus, 

 Meleagris, which is peculiar to eastern and southeastern North 

 America, its southern limit being the Peten district of Gua- 

 temala and parts of British Honduras, where (as also in Yuca- 

 tan) occurs the M. occllata (the Ocellated or Honduras Tur- 

 key) a magnificent bird, almost rivaling the Impe3^an Pheasant 

 and Peacock in the brilliancy of its colors. 



GENUS MELEAGRIS LINN^US. 



Meleagris LINN. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1758, 150. Type, Meleagris gallopavo LINN. 



GEN. CHAB. Legs with transverse scutellse before and behind ; reticulated laterally. 

 Tarsi with spurs. Tail rounded, rather long, usually of eighteen feathers. Forehead with 

 a depending fleshy cone. Head and the upper half of the neck without feathers. Breast of 

 male in one species with a long tuft of bristles. 



The two species of this genus (one of them with two very 

 strongly marked geographical races) may be distinguished as 

 follows : 



1. M. gallopavo. Breast of the male with a tuft of long, coarse, hair-like black bristles. 

 Tail bright umber- or dull ferruginous-brown, narrowly barred with black, and crossed 

 near the end with a broad subterminal band of black. Spurs moderately developed. 

 Female much smaller and duller colored than the male. 



Of. gallopavo. Tip of tail and all of the upper tail-coverts dark chestnut; prevailing 

 hue of metallic reflections coppery. Hab. Eastern United States and Canada. 



ft, mexicana. Tip of tail and all of the upper tail-coverts white or pale buff;* prevail- 

 ing hue of metallic reflections greenish. Hab. The common domesticated bird, 

 derived from the wild Mexican race; the latter ranging from southern Mexico north 

 to mountains of Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, and western Texas. 



2. M. ocellata. Breast of male without tuft of bristles. Tail ash-gray, narrowly barred 

 with black, broadly tipped with refulgent copper-bronze, and ornamented with large 

 subterminal eye-spots or ocellte of brilliantly metallic steel-blue, bordered with velvety 

 black; longer upper tail-coverts similarly adorned, and body barred with richly lus- 

 trous golden-bronze, steel-blue, green, etc., and velvety black. Spurs greatly devel- 

 oped and very sharp in the male. Female decidedly smaller than the male but scarcely 

 less brilliant. Hab. Yucatan, Peten district of Guatemala, and adjoining portions of 

 British Honduras. 



* Some varieties, due to domestication, are wholly black, cream-colored, or tawny. 



