MEXICAN TURKEY. 185 



become quite numerous and was freely used as an article 

 of food. In the days of the Emperors of Mexico 

 Montezuma possessed extensive Zoological Gardens, 

 and many of these birds were given to the wild beasts for 

 food. Certainly they had no fault to find with the fare 

 served to them. The Mexican Turkey, as I have said, is 

 possibly a somewhat larger bird, and exhibits a good 

 many of the metallic tints of its Eastern relative, yet it 

 can hardly be regarded as equally beautiful, as the white 

 on the rump detracts greatly from the general brilliancy 

 of its appearance. Still it is a magnificent game bird, 

 and is worthy to be compared with its rivals of the 

 Eastern and Northern portions of the United States. 



MELA CRTS GALLOP A VO. 



Geographical Disiribiitio7i. — Western Texas to Arizona. 

 Table-lands of Mexico. 



Adult Male. — Rather larger than the average common Wild 

 Turkey, and with fully as much of the brilliant metallic coloring 

 so conspicuous in its better known relative. The principal dif- 

 ferences exhibited by the present bird are the upper tail-coverts, 

 which are broadly tipped with white, barred posteriorly by a 

 band of black, the rest of the feathers being metallic bronze ; 

 tail, very dark brown, especially toward the tip, spotted and 

 vermiculated with black and tipped with white ; feathers on 

 lower part of flanks and under tail-coverts are also tipped 

 with white; the primaries are white, barred with blackish brown, 

 apparently more white visible on the webs than of the other 

 color; head and neck, bare, red. Measurements and weights 

 vary considerably among individuals, and those given for the 

 common Wild Turkey will answer for this one also. There is 

 a long bunch of stiff black bristles pendent from the chest. 



Adult Female. — Smaller and with much less of the metallic 

 coloring, and without the pendent bristles or " beard." 



