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The Ocellated Turkey.



although they lived nearly two years, the birds did not breed; the

male at any rate was healthy, and used to show off in the spring.

His portrait was sketched by Mr. T. W. Wood, who has vividly

described him “ with his tail spread, wings drooping, and all his

feathers puffed up, as if he would burst with pride. At such a time

his head was thrown back so far, and his breast feathers projecting

so far that he could not observe the ground beneath him, and con¬

sequently he often stepped into the water, much to his annoyance

and the visitors’ amusement.” The portrait of this individual,

together with the foregoing account, will be found in the Rev. J. G.

Wood’s ‘ Illustrated Natural History.’ The last survivor of the three

appeared to have been an old bird which died in the Gardens in

1860.


In the spring of 1861 Mr. Robert Owen, a resident in Guate¬

mala, brought over a small collection of Central American birds—one

Guan, one Globose Curassow, one Tinamou, two Tree Colins, and one

Ocellated Turkey. The last-named (a female) was placed in the Zoo

with the rest of the collection ; it was in poor condition, but improved

under the care of Mr. Bartlett, and apparently lived for three years.

On July 20th, 1880, Mr. W. E. Sibeth presented a pair of ocellata to

the Zoological Gardens—these being specially welcome, as none had

been exhibited since 1864. In May, 1909, the writer saw a fine pair

in the Zoo at Berlin. They were kept in a small building divided

into three or four compartments ; it was practically a mammal house,

as the other occupants were a Babirusa, a Kinkajou, a Great Anteater,

a Tree Kangaroo, and an Ayeaye.


The writer has studied several living examples. Although

even as a museum specimen the Ocellated Turkey is a fine bird, when

seen alive it is truly superb. An adult male, when showing off with

distended plumage, and expanded tail rocking from side to side as if

driven by clockwork, suggests in its gorgeous appearance a huge

metallic butterfly. The plumage is shot with a coppery gloss, like

that on a Monal Pheasant, and the tail coverts are ocellated with

discs of exquisite sapphire blue. The study of the bare areas in life

is interesting. The head has the skin bright violet-blue or grey-blue,

the throat and upper neck are grey-blue, the skin round the ear is

dirty grey. The eyelids are bright carmine, and there are a few



