MELEAGRID^ — THE TURKEYS. 



403 



Genus MELEAGRIS, Linn^us. 



Meleagris, Linn^us, Syst. J^Tat. 1735. (Type, MeUagris gallopavo, Linn.) 



GtEN. Char. Legs with transverse scutellae before and behind ; reticulated laterally. 

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



Meka^is gallopavo. 



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

 Breast of male in most species with a long tuft of bristles. 



Species and Varieties. 



M. gallopavo. Head livid blue, legs red, general color copper-bronze, with 

 copper and green reflections, each feather with a velvet-black margin ; all the 

 quills brown, closely barred with white. Tail-feathers chestnut, narrowly 

 barred with black ; the tip with a very broad, subterminal black bar. 



Tail-coverts dark purplish-chestnut throughout, wnth the tips not lighter. 

 Tip of tail-feathers scarcely paler chestnut than the ground-color. Hah. 



Eastern Province of United States \a.r. gallopavo. 



Tail-coverts chestnut, the tips much paler, sometimes almost white. Tip 

 of tail-feathers light brownish-yellow or white ; sometimes with the coverts 

 broadly whitish. Hab. Southern portion of Western Province of United 

 States, from Texas to Arizona. Table-lands of Mexico, south to Orizaba, 

 Mirador, etc var. viexicanus. 



