MELEAGRID.E — THE TURKEYS. 



403 



Genus MELEAGRIS, I.inn^us. 



Mdeagris, Linn^us, Syst. Nat. 1735. (Type, Melaujris ijallopavo, Linn.) 



Gen. Ch.^r. Legs with transverse scutellse before and behind ; reticulated laterally. 

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



MeUa^is ^allopavo. 



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

 Breast of male in most species with a long tuft of bristles. 



Species and Varieties. 



M. gallopavo. Uead livid blue, legs red, general color copper-bronze, with 

 copper and green reflections, each feather with a velvet-black margin ; all the 

 quills brown, closely barred with white. Tail-feathers chestnut, narrowly 

 barred with black ; the tip with a very broad, subterminal black liar. 



Tail-coverts dark purplish-chestnut throughout, with the tips not lighter. 

 Tip of tail-feathers scarcely paler chestnut than the ground-color. Hab. 



Eastern Province of United States vslt. gallopavo. 



Tail-coverts chestnut, the tips much paler, sometimes almost white. Tip 

 of tail-feathers light brownish-yellow or white ; sometimes with the coverts 

 broadly whitish. Bah. Southern portion of Western Province of United 

 States, from Texas to Arizona. Table-lands of Mexico, south to Orizaba, 

 Mirador, etc ~ var. mexicanus. 



