io8 Allen's naturalist's library. 



the white c.nd chinquapin oaks), chestnuts, pecan-nuts, black 

 persimmons, tunas (the fruit of the prickly-pear), leguminous 

 seeds of various kinds, all the cultivated grains, different wild 

 berries and grapes, and the tender tops of plants ; also grass- 

 hoppers, crickets, and other insects. The actions of the 

 gobbler during the mating-season, while paying court to the 

 female, are similar to those of the Domestic Turkey, and well 

 enough known to need no description. . . . 



"The call-notes of the Wild Turkey resemble those of the 

 domesticated bird very much ; still they differ somewhat. In 

 feeding, the usual note is 'quitt, quitt,' or ' pit, pit.' When 

 caUing each other it is ' keow, keow, kee, kee keow, keow,' 

 and a note uttered when alarmed suddenly sounds somewhat 

 like 'cut — cut.'" {Bendire) 



Nest.— A slight depression in the ground, either at the foot 

 of a tree or under a thick bush, and more or less lined with 

 dead leaves and grass. 



jiggs, — Vary in number from eight to thirteen, but ten is 

 probably the general number. Occasionally two hens lay in 

 the same nest. Mr. G. E. Beyer writes :—" On May 25tli, 

 1888, I found a nest with twenty-six eggs ; one hen sitting 

 on the nest, and one standing by. I think both hens kept the 

 same nest." 



SUr,-SP. a. THE FLORIDA TURKEY. MELEAGRIS OSCEOLA. 



Mehagris gallopavo osceola, Scott, Auk, 1890, p. 376. 

 Mekagris osceola, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 390 



(1893)- 

 Adult Male.— Differs from the typical M. americana in having 

 the white bands on the quills ve7j narrow, much narrower 

 than the dark interspaces, and the tips of the tail-feathers paler 

 chestnut. 



Range. — Florida, United States of America. 

 HaMts. — Dr. William L. Ralph, of Utica, New York, writes : — 

 ' Fifteen years ago I found the Wild Turkey abundant in 



