156 Birds of Colorado 



Distribution. — The Rocky Mountains region of the United States 

 from Colorado through New Mexico and Arizona to northern Mexico. 



Turkeys were formerly abundant tliroughout the greater part of 

 Colorado. Pike, in 1806, on his march up the Arkansas Valley to what 

 is now Caiion City, several times alludes to them, and fed his soldiers 

 on those he was able to shoot ; they are still to be met with occasionally 

 in the less -accessible parts of the State. Morrison, in 1888, found 

 them abundant along the Pine River in La Plata co. One was taken on 

 the Buckhorn in Larimer co. in 1861 ; R. Borcherdt killed three out of a 

 flock of twenty- five in the fall of 1868 on Plum Creek, south of Denvef 

 (Felger) ; they doubtless still exist in the south-eastern corner of the 

 State south of the Arkansas River, while Warren states that C. H. 

 Smith, of Coventry, saw one in the San Miguel cailon in January, 1898. 

 There is a mounted male example of a Colorado Turkey in the Colorado 

 Museum of Natural History at Denver. It was killed by Carter near 

 Canon City in January, 1878 ; another specimen, a mounted fenaale in 

 the State Historical Society's collection, was obtained near Durango in 

 the winter of 1895 by A. J. Allen, and both these seem undoubtedly 

 referable to this subspecies ; but it is possible that the Turkeys of 

 the lower Arkansas Valley may be the eastern race {M. g. silvestris), 

 distinguished by their deep rusty tail-tips and the rich-dark chestnut 

 of the lower -rump and tail-coverts. 



Habits. — Merriam's Turkey seems to be more of 

 a mountain bird than the Turkey of the eastern states. 

 It feeds on insects, berries and plant tops, and is specially 

 fond of acorns. The nest is placed on the ground, 

 generally sheltered somewhat, and is lined with leaves, 

 weeds and grass. The eggs, eight to fourteen, are white, 

 dotted with reddish-brown evenly distributed, and 

 measure 2*75 x 1'90. 



ORDER COLUMB^. 



The Pigeons form a well-marked group, having no 

 close well-defined relationships, except with the Old 

 World Sand-Grouse. 



They are birds of moderate size with short legs, and 

 toes without a trace of a web. The bill is very character- 

 istic, the distal portion being slightly swollen and hard, 

 and the proximal portion, in which the nostrils open, 



