MELEAGRID^ — THE TURKEYS. 413 



very fond of taking to flight, but its powers in this respect are not behind those of any of the allied 

 forms. Its breeding-season is in March or April, when the hens separate from the males to 

 reunite into families again in September. Their general habits during this season are much as 

 with the domestic bird, although I cannot say whether tliey inflate and swell themselves out in 

 the same manner. I am, however, inclined to doubt it, as the specimen I have handled did not 

 have the tips of the wing-feathers worn away as in the barn-yard breed. The female lays from 

 three to twelve brownish- red, spotted eggs in the high grain, and hatches them out in thirty days, 

 as is the case with the tame Turkey. The flesh of the wild bird is dry, but very sweet, like the 

 tame fowl, and like the latter is dark on the back and legs, and white on the breast and wings. 



"The white meat of the flesh on the breast of the Mexican and the tame Turkey, as compared 

 with the darker meat of the common North American wild bird, is a fact of importance to be 

 taken into consideration. 



" The exact distribution of the Mexican Wild Turkey southward and westward is not ascer- 

 tained, nor is it known that it occupies the western portion of the Mexican country. In Yuca- 

 tan and Northern Guatemala it is replaced by a third species, the Ocellated Turkey {Melcagris 

 occllatu), rather less in size, but far more striking in appearance, being marked in the tail with 

 spots somewhat like the 'eyes' of the tail of the Peacock. The three species thus belong to 

 Mexico and northern parts of Central America. 



" Very truly yours, 



"C. SARTORIUS." 



