580 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 



This order includes all of the true " fowls," domestic poultry, and 

 the various species of pheasants, quail, and grouse. It is a group of 

 birds of special interest to the sportsman, since almost all of the so- 

 called upland game birds are members of the order. Many species 

 of gallinaceous birds are of great beauty and are kept purely for 

 show purposes, while others are easily reared in sufficient numbers 

 to stock depleted covers and provide recreation for lovers of outdoor 

 sports. Game keepers have paid much attention in late years to 

 breeding the more hardy and easily kept species and are now turn- 

 ing their attention to experimental work in the hatching and rearing 

 of the more difficult native varieties. An area of considerable size 

 in a retired part of the National Zoological Park has been set aside 

 for experiments of this kind, and particular attention will be given 

 to the North American quail and grouse. 



Peafowl (Pavo cristatus), wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo sil- 

 vestris), and bob white quail (Colinus virginianus) roam at large and 

 nest within the borders of the park, but until a suitable pheasantry 

 can be established the exliibition of gallinaceous birds must neces- 

 sarily be restricted to such species as are easily kept under ordinary 

 conditions. A few showy pheasants, two species of African franco- 

 lins, and several American forms of quail or partridge are kept in the 

 bird house. 



The curassows are fine, large gallinaceous birds found from Mexico 

 to South America. There are a number of species, two of which 

 are shown — the Mexican curassow {Grax globicera) and Daubenton's 

 curassow (C. daubentoni). Unlike most of the forms of this group 

 of birds, the curassows are largely arboreal in habit and nest in trees. 

 The feathers of the back and rump are always soft and downy, unlike 

 those of the other gallinaceous game birds. 



CRANES AND THEIR ALLIES. 



This group (Gruiformes) includes the cranes, rails, cariamas, and 

 bustards, as well as some lesser known forms. It has a wide distribu- 

 tion, and as its members are frequently classed as " game birds " it has 

 a great popular interest. The cranes comprise some of the most 

 showy of zoological park avian exhibits and are now much sought by 

 private collectors of living birds. The remaining families within the 

 order are less often seen in zoological gardens, but are, nevertheless, 

 all birds of more than ordinary interest to the ornithologist. 



One of the finest species, the great whooping crane (Gnis ameri- 

 cana) is bordering upon extinction. It bred formerly from northern 

 Mackenzie south to Illinois and Iowa and occurred commonly in mi- 

 grations through the Central and Southern States. It is a splendid 



