GALLINiE — PHASIANID^E — MELEAGRIS. . 199 



- ORDER III. GALLING. 



Bill short, hard and convex. Upper mandible vaulted, curved from the base or 

 only at the point. Nostrils lateral, half covered by an arched rigid membrane, 

 Feet stout. Tibia entirely feathered. Toes usually three before, and gene- 

 rally one behind, which scarcely touches the ground, sometimes wanting. 

 Nails without any retractile motion. Tail of from ten to eighteen feathers, 

 very rarely wanting. 



FAMILY PHASIANIDJE. 



Hind toe present, elevated above the others. Tarsi generally armed with spurs. Tail of 

 more than twelve feathers. Head more or less naked. Bill short and thick. 



GENUS MELEAGRIS. Linnaeus. 



Bill short and thick ; its base covered with a naked membrane, which, on the summit of 

 the head, is elongated into a fleshy erectile conic hairy appendage. Head and neck naked; 

 throat with a pendulous caruriculated wattle. Tarsi (of the male) armed with spurs. Tail 

 broad, expansile, with from fourteen to eighteen feathers. 



THE WILD TURKEY. 

 Meleagris gallopavo. 



PLATE LXXVI. FIG. 172 (Male). 



Meleagris gallopavo. Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. p. 268. Penkast, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 291. 



M. americanus. Bartram, p. 290. 



M. gallopavo. Temminck, Pig. et Gall. Vol. 2, p. 374, and Vol. 3, p. 677. Bonaparte, Am. Orn. Vol. I, p. 79, 



pi. 9; Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 123. Audubon, fol. pi. 1 and 6. Nuttall, Man. Orn. 



Vol. 1, p. 630. Kirtland, Zool. Ohio, p. 164. Peabody, Mass. Rep. p. 352. Audubon, 



B. of A. Vol. 5, p. 42, pi. 287, and 288. 



Characteristics. Blackish, with metallic coppery reflexions. Quills dusky, banded with 

 white. Tail of eighteen feathers, rust-colored, with dark narrow bars, 

 and with a broad black band near the tip. Female and young, dusky 

 brownish, with few metallic tints. Length, 31-4 feet. 



