108 LLOYD’S NATURAL HISTORY. 
the white and chinquapin oaks), chestnuts, pecan-nuts, black 
persimmons, tufias (the fruit of the prickly-pear), leguminous 
seeds of various kinds, all the cultivated grains, different wild 
berries and grapes, and the tender tops of plants; also grass- 
hoppers, crickets, and other insects. The actions of the 
gobbler during the mating-season, while paying court to the 
female, are similar to those of the Domestic Turkey, and well 
enough known to need no description. 
“The call-notes of the Wild Turkey receamle those of the 
domesticated bird very much; still they differ somewhat. In 
feeding, the usual note is ‘quitt, quitt,’ or ‘pit, pit.’ When 
calling each other it is ‘keow, keow, kee, kee keow, keow,’ 
and a note uttered when alarmed suddenly sounds somewhat 
like ‘cut—cut.’” (Bendire.) 
Iest.—A slight depression in the ground, either at the foot 
of a tree or under a thick bush, and more or less lined with 
dead leaves and grass. 
Eggs.—Vary in number from eight to thirteen, but ten is 
probably the general number. Occasionally two hens lay in 
the same nest. Mr. G. E. Beyer writes:—‘‘On May 2sth, 
1888, I found a nest with twenty-six eggs; one hen sitting 
on the nest, and one standing by. I think both hens kept the 
Saiae nest. 
SUB-SP. @ THE FLORIDA TURKEY. MELEAGRIS OSCEOLA, 
Meleagris gallopavo osceola, Scott, Auk, 1890, p. 376. 
Meleagris osceola, Ozilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 390 
(1893). 
Adult Male.—Differs from the typical JZ. americana in having 
the white bands on the quills very narrow, much narrower 
than the dark interspaces, and the tips of the tail-feathers paler 
chestnut. 
Range.—Florida, United States of America. 
Habits. — Dr. William L. Ralph, of Utica, New York, writes :— 
‘Fifteen years ago I found the Wild Turkey abundant in 
