496 



NA TURA L HIS TOR Y. 



descended, and which once roamed over .the whole United States. It has 

 changed in form and color, and yet this change takes place in a very few 



generations, and an 

 even shorter time 

 is necessary for es- 

 caped birds to re- 

 vert to their former 

 condition. In their 

 wild state they are 

 very timorous ; at 

 night they roost on 

 the tallest trees, 

 and the hen, on 

 leaving her nest, 

 carefullv covers it 

 with leaves. Our 

 native bird, with 

 its plumage of 

 dark bronze-green, 

 is handsome, but 

 he is far excelled in 

 this respect by the 

 species of Mexico 

 and Central Amer- 

 ica, the latter being 

 especially brilliant, 

 and even rivalling 

 the pheasants in 

 its plumage. 



Fig. 416. — Central American turkey (Meleagris ocellata). 



In all the scratching birds so far enumerated the hind toe is placed a 

 little above its fellows, but in some birds of South America and the far 

 east it is on the same level with the rest, as is the case in the doves. 

 There are one or two of these species so interesting in their habits thai 

 they must not be passed by. The first are the megapodes, or brush- 

 turkeys, the first name having reference to the size of their feet. 



The megapodes are found in Australia, and north into the Philippines 

 and Borneo. They are all characterized by large feet and long, curved 

 claws, which most of the species put to a most peculiar use. As described 

 by Mr. Wallace, they " rake and scratch together all sorts of rubbish, dead 

 leaves, sticks, stones, earth, rotten wood, etc., till they form a large mound, 



