150 



BRANCH VERTEBRATA. 



The Turkey is indigenous to America. There is but 

 one genus [Meleagris] (mel e a'gris), with two species. 

 One of these is the M. ocellata (o eel la'ta) of Honduras, 

 whose tail is enameled with blue " eyes," each surrounded 

 by a ring of yellow and purple. The other species has 

 two varieties, the M. gallopavo (gal lo pa'vo) and M. mex- 

 icana (meks I ca'na). The latter is the one from which 



FIG. 257. 



Mel e a' gris gal lo pa' vo. Turkey. ( T ' s .) 



the Domestic Turkey sprung. The Wild Turkey nests in 

 some secluded spot, which it guards jealously, seldom 

 approaching it twice by the same path, and luring the 

 intruder away by various wiles. As soon as the young 

 are hatched, the female takes them under her entire care, 

 leading them long distances for food, and carefully avoid- 

 ing marshes until her brood have exchanged their down 

 for feathers impervious to water.* 



* Turkeys are often captured in the following manner : A pen of logs is raised 

 about four feet high. At one point, an entrance is dug underneath and corn 

 sprinkled both without and within. The Turkeys greedily picking this up, enter 

 the pen. Once entrapped, they vainly seek with elevated head to escape between 

 the logs, but never think of stooping down to pass out where they entered. 



