4 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Sclater and Salvin. To the same suborder belong the common 

 domestic fowl, the Guinea-fowl {Numida meleagris), the Old 

 World Phasianidw, or Pheasants, and all of the Grouse and 

 Partridge families {Tetraonidce and Perdicidce). To the other 

 suborder (known as Gallium Peristeropodes) belong the tropical 

 American Cracidce (Curassows, Guans, and Chachalacas) and the 

 Australian Megwpodidm (Mound-Fowl or Brush-Turkeys). 



The Meleagrmce, as at present known, include a single genus, 

 Meleagris, which is peculiar to eastern and southeastern North 

 America, its southern limit being the Peten district of Gua- 

 temala and parts of British Honduras, where (as also in Yuca- 

 tan) occurs the M. oeellata (the Ocellated or Honduras Tur- 

 key)— a magnificent bird, almost rivaling the Impeyan Pheasant 

 and Peacock in the brilliancy of its colors. 



Genus MELEAGRIS Linnaeus. 



Meleagris Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1758. 156. Type, Meleagris gallopavo Linn. 



Gen. Char. Legs with transverse scutelloe before and behind ; reticulated laterally. 

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

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

 male in one species with a long tuft of bristles. 



The two species of this genus (one of them with two very 

 strongly marked geographical races) may be distinguished as 

 follows : 



1. M. gallopavo. Breast of the male with a tuft of long, coarse, hair-like black bristles. 

 Tail bright umber- or dull ferruginous-brown, narrowly barred with black, and crossed 

 near the end with a broad subterminal band of black. Spurs moderately developed. 

 Female much smaller and duller colored than the male. 



a. gallopavo. Tip of tail and all of the upper tail-coverts dark chestnut; prevailing 

 hue of metallic reflections coppery. Hab. Eastern United States and Canada. 



6. mexicana. Tip of tail and all of the upper tail-coverts white or pale buff;* prevail- 

 ing hue of metallic reflections greenish. Hab. The common domesticated bird, 

 derived from the wild Mexican race; the latter ranging from southern Mexico north 

 to mountains of Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, and western Texas. 



2. M. oeellata. Breast of male without tuft of bristles. Tail ash-gray, narrowly barred 

 with black, broadly tipped with refulgent copper-bronze, and ornamented with large 

 subterminal eye-spots or ocellse of brilliantly metallic steel-blue, bordered with velvety 

 black; longer upper tail-coverts similarly adorned, and body barred with richly lus- 

 trous golden-bronze, steel-blue, green, etc., and velvety black. Spurs greatly devel- 

 oped and very sharp in the male. Female decidedly smaller than the male but scarcely 

 less brilliant. Hab. Yucatan, Peten district of Guatemala, and adjoining portions of 

 British Honduras. 



* Some varieties, due to domestication, are wholly black, cream-colored, or tawny. 



