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308. Sharp-tailed Grouse. PIN-TAILED GROUSE. FR.—LA G®LINOTTE A QUEUE 
AIGUE. Pediacetes phasianellus. L, 17-50. Coloured in fine indefinite patterns 
of browns and white, or cream, on the upper parts, tending towards bars only across the 
shoulders; underparts pure white. Across breast each feather is bordered with a dark 
V-shaped figure which changes to a short bar as it ascends the neck and to fine spots on 
the creamy throat. 
Distinctions. The V marks of the breast and the soft, sharp point of the closed tail 
are conclusive and easily recognized identification marks. 
Distribution. A more northern species and less distinctly an open prairie form than 
the Prairie Chicken. Distributed across the continent north of present cultivated areas 
in the east, but is very local as there are large stretches of country where it is absent or 
rare. It comes south irregularly in autumn to the edges of settlement. In the prairie 
provinces it extends south to and across the United States border. 
SUBSPECIES. The species is divided into several geographic races. Along the 
Manitoba boundary the Prairie Sharp-tail Pediecetes phasianellus campestris is likely 
to be found; elsewhere in eastern Canada the typical or Northern Sharp-tail. 
In the west this is a prairie bird but it is locally being replaced by the 
previous species. 
FAMILY—MELEAGRIDH. TURKEYS. 
The largest of our scratching birds and so familiar from its domesti- 
cated form that it requires no detailed description. We have had only one 
species in Canada. 
310. Wild Turkey. Meleagris gallopavo. L, 48-50. So nearly like our domestic 
Bronze Turkey as to require no special description. 
Distinctions. The only bird from which it is necessary to separate the Wild Turkey 
is the tame or domestic variety. The latter originated from Mexican stock and in con- 
sequence always shows a little white on the end of the tail. The tail of the Wild Turkey 
ends in wood-brown. 
Distribution. Originally distributed over the whole of eastern North America to 
Maine and southern Ontario. 
SUBSPECIES. Several subspecies of Wild Turkey are recognized. ‘The type 
form is found in Mexico. The Canadian bird is the Northern Wild Turkey Meleagris 
gallopavo silvestris. 
The Turkey as a wild form occurred in Canada only in southern Ontario 
and has been extinct for a number of years. At present the Wild Turkey 
remains only in the most out-of-the-way wooded localities of the wilder 
southern states and even there it promises to vanish soon. There is 
probably considerable native wild blood in the domesticated turkey flocks 
along lake Erie and a number of specimens of so-called Wild Turkeys are 
obviously at least half-bred with domestic blood. 
Order—Columbz. Pigeons and Doves. 
This order, of world-wide distribution, is variously divided by different 
authors. According to the system of classification of the American Or- 
nithologists’ Union all our American species are included in the one family, 
Columbide. They are the most typically pigeon-like in form and, therefore, 
may be called the True Pigeons. 
FAMILY—-COLUMBIDZH. TRUE PIGEONS AND DOVES. 
Pigeons and Doves can in a general way be said to resemble the outline 
and actions of our familiar domestic stock. Characters more easily 
recognized than described. Systematically they can be recognized by their 
bills. These are hard and horny at the tip, which is very slightly enlarged 
