122 Synopsis of the Birds 



running about as soon as hatched and picking up the 

 food indicated by the mother, and remaining under her charge 

 Until autumn, or even the following spring. Run swiftly : 

 take wing with difficulty; flight low, whirring, limited : but 

 very few undertake long periodical journeys. Voice unplea- 

 sant, crowing, cackling, or whistling. Flesh edible, gustful 

 food ; in domesticity, poultry ; when wild, game. Analogous 

 to Pecora among Mammalia. 



FAMILY XVI. GALLINACEI. 



Gallinacei, III. Nudipedes, Plumipedes, Vieill. 

 Razzolanti, Ranz. Tetradactyli, hatr. 

 Bill thick : nostrils basal. Fore toes connected at base 

 by a membrane. Neither hind toe, nor tail ever wanting. 



38. MELEAGMS. 



Meleagris, L. Gm. Lath. 111. Cuv. Vieill. Temm. Ranz. 



Gallopavo, Briss. Cynchramus, Moehring. 



Bill entire, covered at base by a naked, cerelike membrane 

 prolonged into a pendulous, fleshy, conic, erectile, hairy, 

 caruncle : nostrils oblique, situated in the cere : tongue fleshy, 

 entire. Head very small, naked, carunculate, as well as half 

 of the neck : throat with a longitudinal, carunculous appen- 

 dage : a pendulous bristly tuft on the inferior portion of the 

 neck. Feet somewhat elongated. Tarsus naked, clypeate, fur- 

 nished with an obtuse spur in the male ; toes scutellated ; hind 

 toe half as long as the lateral equal ones ; middle toe much 

 the longest: sole granulated: nails oblong, wide, obtuse 

 rounded above, perfectly plane beneath. Wings not 

 reaching beyond the origin of the tail ; first primary shortest ; 



