North A :m eric ax Birds Eggs. 



147 



3 1 Ob. Florida Wild Turkey. Md- 



('(ti/rix (/(il lojKiro (iscrahi. 



Range. — Southern Florida. 



A small variety of the Wild Turk- 

 ey about 42 inches long. The.y 

 breed in the tangled thickets in the 

 higher portions of the southern 

 iialf of Florida, laying from ten to 

 .sixteen eggs of a brighter and 

 deeper buff color than the northern 

 variety, and smaller; size '2.lM)xl.7o. 

 Their nests are generally lined with 

 grasses and occasionally with feath- 

 ers. The female sits very close 

 when incubating and will not fly 

 until almost trod upon, trusting to 

 her variegated markings to conceal 

 her from observation. 



3 I Oc. Rio Grande Turkey. Mdcagris (jdllapdni intmiiedid. 



Range.— Lowlands of the southern parts of Texas and northern ^Mexico. A 

 •sub-species which differs slightly in plumage and not at all in nesting habits or 

 eggs from the common Wild Turkey. 



CURASSOWS AND GUANS. Family CRACID/E. 



3 11. Chachalaca. Oiiali>i rcfiila nuirnilli. 



Range. — Eastern portions of ^Mexico, 

 north to the Lower Rio Grande Valley 

 in Texas. 



A very peculiar grayish colored bird 



with a greenish gloss to the back, and 



a long, broad tail, quite long legs, 



^; and with the face and sides of the 



throat devoid of feathers. They are 

 very abundant birds in some localities, 

 and very noisy during tiie breeding 

 season, their notes resembling a harsh 

 trumpeting repetition of their name. 

 They are ground inhabiting birds but 

 nest in low bushes. Their nests are 

 made of sticks, twigs, leaves, or moss 

 and are generally frail, flat structures 

 wiji.v « icv, iccL a.jKjvc Liic giuL.i.v.. During April, they lay from three to_five 

 buffy white eggs, the shell ol which is very rough and hard. Size 2.25 x 1.55. 



[Buff y white. 1 

 only a few feet above the ground 



PIGEONS AND DOVES. Order XI. COLUMB/E. 



Family COLUMBID/E. 



Pigeons and Doves are distributed throughout nearly every temperate and 

 tropical country on the glolie. nearly five liundred species being known, of 

 which twelve occur witliin our limits. Their plumage is generally of soft and 

 subdued colors, the head small, the wings strong anil the flight rapid. 



