404 



NORTH AMKiaCAX BIRDS. 



The M. oceUatus^ of Honduras and Yucatan is a very distinct species, and 

 one which vies witli the Fkasianidcc of Asia in tlie brilliancy of its coloring. 

 It is very rare in collections, and has a very restricted distribution. 



Meleagris gallopavo, 



gallopavo, Lix.v. 



■WILD TURKEY. 



f 



'^ 



Meleagris gallopavo, Lixxirs, Sy»t. Xat. I, 1758, 156. — Gmelix, I, 1788, 732. — 

 L.\THAM, Iiid. Orn. II, 1790, 618. — Stepiikns, in Shaw's Zool. XI, i, 1819, 156 

 (domestic bird).— BoXAP. Am. Oni. I, 1825, 79, pi. ix. — Avi). Om. Biog. I, 1831, 

 1 and 33 ; V, 1839, 559, pi. i. — Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 42, pi. ccLxxxrii, cclxxx\iii. 

 — NuTTALL, Man. 1, 1832, 630. — Eeichexbach, Systema Av. 1851, pi. xxvi. — Ib. 

 Icones Av. tab. 289. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 615. — Dkesseu, Ibis, 1866, 25 

 (Southeastern Texas, breeds). — M.\x. Cab. J. VI, 1858, 426. Meleagris umcricana, Bap.- 

 ti:am, Travels, 1791, 290. Mclengris sylvcstris, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. IX, 447. Gallopavo 

 sijlveslris, Lecoxte, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phil. 1857, 179. Meleagris /era, Vieillot, Galerie 

 Ois. II, 1824, 10, pi. X. —Gray. Cat. Gall. V, 42, 1867.— IFild Turkey, Clayton, 

 Philos. Trans. XVII, 1693, 992. -Pennant, Philos. Trans. LXXI, 1781, 67. — Ib. 

 Arctic Zobl. No. 178. American Turkey, Latham, Syn. II, ii, 676. Gallopavo 

 syUestris, Novm Anglia;, Ray, Syn. 51. Gallopavo sylvestris, Catesby, Carol. I, 1730, 

 App. J), xliv. — Buisson, Orn. V, 1760, 162. 



Sp. Char. The naked skin of the head and neck is blue ; the excrescences purpli.sh- 

 red. The legs are red. The feathers of the neck and body generally are very broad, 

 abruptly truncate, and each one well defined and scale-like; the exposed portion coppery- 



Meteagris gallopavo. 



bronze, with a bright coppery reflection in some lights, in the specimens before us chiefly 

 on the under parts. Each feather is abruptly margined with velvet-black, the bronze 

 assuming a greenish or purpli.sh .shade near the line of junction, and the bronze itself 

 sometimes with a greenish reflection in some lights. The black is opaque, except along 



1 Meleagris ocellatus, Temm., Cabot, Pr. Host. Soc. Nat. Hist. I, 73. 



