BIRDS OF KANSAS. 231 



The black bauds are all most distiuot ou the iuiier webs; the interspaces are 

 considerably lighter below than above. 



•'There are no whitish tips whatever to the tail or its covei'ts. The feathers 

 on the middle of the belly are downy, opaque, and tipped obscurely with rusty 

 whitish. 



"The wing coverts are like the back; the qnills, however, are blackish brown, 

 with numerous transverse bars of white half the width of the interspaces. The 

 exposed surface of the wings, however, and most of the inner secondaries, are 

 tinged with brownish rusty, the uppermost ones with a dull copper or greenish 

 gloss. 



"The female differs in smaller size, less brilliant color, absence generally of 

 bristles on tiie breast and of spur, and a much smaller fleshy process above the 

 base of the bill." 



Stretch of 

 Length. -wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 47.00 63..50 20.50 15.00 6.75 1.05 



Female... 37.00 53.00 16.50 12.50 5.25 .90 



Iris brown; bill from base to front of nostrils dusky, rest pale 

 horn color; legs purplish red; feet a shade darker, with bottoms 

 dusky; claws pale horn color. 



This noble bird, the pride of the forest, was formerly abund- 

 ant throughout its range, but now extinct in the New England 

 States and fast disappearing westward, though still quite abund- 

 ant in portions of the Southern States and of the Indian Ter- 

 ritory. I am quite familiar with the habits of this beautiful 

 species, but feel that I cannot improve upon the minute and 

 interesting description as given by Audubon, and therefore 

 quote from the same. 



"I shall describe the manners of this bird as observed in the 

 countries where it is most abundant, and having resided for 

 many years in Kentucky and Louisiana, may be understood as 

 referring chiefly to them. 



''The Turkey is irregularly migratory as well as irregularly 

 gregarious. With reference to the first of these circumstances, 

 I have to state, that whenever the mast of one portion of the 

 country happens greatly to exceed that of another, the Turkeys 

 are insensibly led towards the spot by gradually meeting in 

 their haunts with more fruit the nearer they advance towards 

 the spot where it is most plentiful. In this manner flock follows 

 after flock, until one district is entirely deserted, while another 

 is, as it were, overflowed by them. But, as these migrations 



