52 EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



310. Wild Turkey, 3feleagris gallopavo. (Type, Plate 

 VIII.) Eggs, 10 to 20, short, oval, varying from creamy to 

 buff, spotted and dotted, usually quite thickly, M'ith reddish 

 brown; 1.85 -|- 2.45 to 2.00 + 2.50. Breeds in the wilder 

 sections of the United States, from Southern Canada to the 

 Gulf of Mexico, west of the central plains, m May. 



310a. Mexican Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo mexi- 

 cana. Eggs, indistinguishable from those of No. 310. Breeds 

 in Southwestern United States, from Texas to Arizona, south 

 over the table-lands of Mexico. 



Fauhly XXXI. — CRACID^. Curassows and Guans. 



North American species of this family place their eggs in 

 trees or bushes, and they are plainly colored. The nests are 

 rouglily constructed of sticks, grass, leaves, etc. 



311. Chaciialaca, Ortalis vetula maccalli. Eggs, 3 or 4, 

 oblong, oval, buffy, unspotted, but with the shell conspicuously 

 roughened ; 1.65 + 2.35 to 1.67 + 2.40. Breeds in the 

 valley of the Rio Grande, and southward into Mexico, in April. 



ORDER XL — COLUMB^. Pigeons. 



Eggs, few in number, usually 2 ; white, or creamy, and 

 unmarked. Nests of sticks, roughly constructed; and in 

 American species, as a rule, placed in trees, but occasionally 

 on the ground. 



Family XXXII. — COLUMBID^. Pigeons and Doves. 



Eggs, white or creamy in color, elliptical in form ; size 

 alone distinguishes them. Unless otherwise mentioned, the 

 nests are placed in elevated situations. 



312. Band-tailed Pigeon, Colntnha fasciata. Eggs, 2, 

 creamy; 1.15 -f- 1-49 to 1.20 -f- 1-55. Nests, placed on the 

 ground. Breeds throughout Western United States, from 



