180 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



with white ; tail, white, variegated at the base, the two middle feathers like the 

 back ; loral space and a band behind the eye, yellowish-white, a dusky streak 

 under the eye ; throat, reddish-white, with dusky spots ; fore parts and sides of 

 the neck, barred with reddish-white; on the breast the dusky spots become first 

 curved, then arrow-shaped, and so continue nariowing on the hind part of the 

 breast and part of the sides of which the upper portion is barred ; abdomen, 

 lower tail coverts and axillars, white; tarsal featheis, light brownish-gray, 

 faintly barred with whitish. Femah: — Smaller, the tints of colors less bright. 

 Length, 18-20; wing, 8-9; middle feathers of the tail, 4-6; outer feathers, 1^. 



Hab.- — British America, from the northern shore of Lake Superior and 

 British Columbia to Hudson's Bay territory and Alaska. 



Nest, in a tuft of grass on the prairie. 



Eggs, five to twelve, grayish-olive or drab coloi-, niinutelj- dotted ■with brown 

 spots the size of a pin's head. 



Writing from the North-West, Prof. Macoun says of this species: 

 " This is the Prairie Chicken of our western plains, the true Prairie 

 Chicken not being observed here." 



Dr. Coues, writing in the same strain, says: "This is the Prairie 

 Chicken of the whole North-West, usually occurring where the 

 Pinnated Grouse does not, although the habitats of the two species 

 overlap to some extent." From the foregoing it appears that while 

 the present species occupied the North-West, the Prairie Chicken 

 flourished more in the south-east, but that now both are being. driven 

 farther to the north-west, as the prairies come under cultivation. 



The Sharp-tail is abundant near Winnipeg, from which point it 

 has reached the Hamilton market. It is also reported by Mr. 

 Bampton as being found at Sault Ste. Marie. 



FA^yiiLV PHASIANID^. Pheasants, etc. 



SiBFAMiLY MELEAGRIN^. Turkeys. 



Genus MELEAGRIS Linn.eus. 



MELEAGRIS GALLOP A VO Linn. 



134. Wild Turkey. (•'^lO) 



Naked skin of head and neck, livid blue; general color, copper-bronze with 

 copper and green reflection, each feather with a narrow black border ; all the 

 quills, brown, closely barred with white ; tail, chestnut, barred with black and 

 a broad subtermiual lilack bar. Tip of tail feathers and upper tail coverts, 

 lighter chestnut. Lengtli, .3-4 feet. 



