WILD TURKEY. 66 



six or seven arranged in a line above each other, and at nearly 

 equal distances. Upon the breast there is no trace of the tufts of 

 hair. The form of the feathers is rounded at the ends ; those of 

 the lower part of the neck, the upper part of the back, scapulars, 

 and all the lower part of the body, are of a bronzed green, ter- 

 minated by two bands, the one black, and the other, or that next 

 the tip, of a golden bronze colour. On the other parts of the 

 back, the distribution of the colours is the same, but as they 

 approach the coverts of the tail, the tints become more vivid the 

 bronzed part becomes of a rich blue, or emerald green, according 

 to the change of light, and the outer band becomes broader, 

 assumes a more golden lustre, and upon the rump, being tinted 

 with red, the shades become similar in beauty to the throat of the 

 Ruby-crested Humming-bird. The brightness of this border 

 becomes still more striking, being separated from the blue by a 

 band of deep velvety black. The base of such feathers on those 

 parts concealed is gray, mottled with black. Upon the tail and 

 upper coverts, this gray part becomes apparent, and the marks 

 assume the form of bars, one of which, immediately succeeding 

 the blue band, surrounds it, and makes each feather appear eyed 

 or ocellated. From the distribution of the tail coverts, and lower 

 feathers of the rump, there are four rows with these eyed tips, 

 where the gray basal half of the feather i visible, and which 

 combines very chastely, or keeps down, as it were, the lustre of 

 the others. The tail is rounded at the end, and contains only 

 fourteen feathers. The lower parts of the body are banded with 

 bronze, black and green, but without the brilliant lustre of the 

 upper parts. The quills and bastard pinions are broad, bordered 

 obliquely with white, which almost entirely occupy the outer 

 margin of the first. The secondaries have the outer barbs pure 

 white the bands in the centre not appearing when the wings are 

 closed ; the uppermost are blotched in the centre with black, 

 having a green lustre, which, as the plumes shorten, expand more 

 over their surface, leaving the last with the edge only white. 

 The greater coverts are chestnut ; the feet and legs are of a rich 

 lake, or purplish red. Its plumage is more varied, brilliant, and 

 beautiful, than that of any other turkey. 



