^^•i MELEAGRlti GALLOP A VO. 



FAMILY I. MELEAGRIDIDiE. THE TURKEYS. 



Head and neck, destitute of feathers. Top of keel, not eejualimj in Jemjtli the depth of 

 the inner marginal indentations, and the tip is not produced forward. Terminal expansion 

 cffurcuJa, not toide, and appro.ci?uating rerij closelij to tlie sternum. Upj er process of niu- 

 tiubrium, not prcdaced fo -ward. 



The costal process of the stenium is narrow and truncated, and the lione of the ex- 

 treme outer edge, beyond the outer marginal indentation, is widened and produced forward. 

 There is also a large perforation through the manubrium ami the sternum in front of the 

 keel is furrowed, while the depression is provided with a central ridge. 



(iRNUS I. MELEAC.IUS. THE TUllIvFA'S. 



Gen. Cil. Forehead, provitlrd uith a fleshy cnne winch is extensible. Tursvs, spurred. Tail, rather loiu/ and rounded 

 Breast of males, usually provided with a lony tuft of bristles. 



This .irenuti contains hut few species, and all of them are of a largo size, with well marked characters, as given ahuve. 

 There is but one specie-; within our limits. 



MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO. 

 Wild Turkey. 



Meleaijris yallopavo Lixx, Syst. Kat., 1; 1706, 268. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cii. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Head and neek, destitute of feathers but sprinkled witli fine 

 bristles. Feathers, broad at tip and abruptly truncated. 



Uoi.oit. Adult male. 15:)dy thvouiihout, black, eaoli feather is crossed with a sulitermin:il, iridescent band of bUii.sh 

 which has greenish and hr>>nz'; reflections. Hump and u|)per tail coverts, banded with deep chestnut. Wings, ve:y dark- 

 brown, finely banded with yellowish-white. The tail is deep chestnut tipped with lighter, there is a bruad, sul)terminal 

 band of dark-brown and the rcmainfer of the feathers are finely mottled and banded with ehcsinut, while the flanks and 

 under tail coverts arc ti|;ped with the .same color. Abdomen and tibia, yellowish-brown with the featliers tipped Vfith 

 lighter. II; ad and nee':, blue and red. Feet, red. Bill, red, yellow at tip. Iris, brown. 



Adult female. Quite similar to the male, but difl'ers in being .somewhat smaller, and less brilliant in color. The spurs 

 on the legs and bristles on the breast arc usually absent. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Tilis species mny be at once recognized by its resemblance to the well-known domestic Turkey, from which the wild 

 birds dill'er, however, in bjing more brilliant in color. Distributed, as a constant resident, in favorable localities, througli- 

 out Eastern United States. Probably extinct in New England. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements ofspeciaiens from Eastern United States. Length, 42'00; stretch, 62'.50; wing, 19"50; tail, 

 16-50; hill, 11-3; tarsus, R-jO. Longest sijecimen, oO-OC: greatest extent nf wing, 63-()(); longest wing, 2101); tail. 17 50, 

 hill, 125; tarsus, "'OO. Sh-ovtest specimen, 34-00; smallest extent of wing, 57-00; shortest wing, 18-00; tail, 15 50, bill, 

 1-00; tarsus, 6-00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed on the gi'ound. They are not very elaborate structures, being composed of leaves, weeds, or other con- 

 venient material. 



Eyijs, from ten to twenty in number, short oval in form, creamy or bull' in color, spotted and dotted, usually quite 

 thickly, with reddish-brown. Dimensions from 1-85x2-45 to 200x2-50. 



HABITS. 

 The Wild Turkey which has received as much, if not more, attention from writers, 

 than any other species of American birds, is rapidly becoming exterminated. There has- 



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