Ill 



308. Sharp- tailed Grouse. PIN-TAILED GROUSE. PR. LA GELINOTTE A QUEUE 

 AIGUE. Pediaecetes phasianettus. L, 17-50. Coloured in fine indefinite patterns 

 of browns and white, or cream, on the upper parts, tending towards bars only across the 

 shoulders; underparts pure white. Across breast each feather is bordered with a dark 

 V-shaped figure which changes to a short bar as it ascends the neck and to fine spots on 

 the creamy throat. 



Distinctions. The V marks of the breast and the soft, sharp point of the closed tail 

 are conclusive and easily recognized identification marks. 



Distribution. A more northern species and less distinctly an open prairie form than 

 the Prairie Chicken. Distributed across the continent north of present cultivated areas 

 in the east, but is very local as there are large stretches of country where it is absent or 

 rare. It comes south irregularly in autumn to the edges of settlement. In the prairie 

 provinces it extends south to and across the United States border. 



SUBSPECIES. The species is divided into several geographic races. Along the 

 Manitoba boundary the Prairie Sharp-tail Pedioecetes phasianellus campestris is likely 

 to be found; elsewhere in eastern Canada the typical or Northern Sharp-tail. 



In the west this is a prairie bird but it is locally being replaced by the 

 previous species. 



FAMILY MELEAGRID^E. TURKEYS. 



The largest of our scratching birds and so familiar from its domesti- 

 cated form that it requires no detailed description. We have had only one 

 species in Canada. 



310. Wild Turkey. Meleagris gallopavo. L, 48-50. So nearly like our domestic 

 Bronze Turkey as to require no special description. 



Distinctions. The only bird from which it is necessary to separate the Wild Turkey 

 is the tame or domestic variety. The latter originated from Mexican stock and in con- 

 sequence always shows a little white on the end of the tail. The tail of the Wild Turkey 

 ends in wood-brown. 



Distribution. Originally distributed over the whole of eastern North America to 

 Maine and southern Ontario. 



SUBSPECIES. Several subspecies of Wild Turkey are recognized. The type 

 form is found in Mexico. The Canadian bird is the Northern Wild Turkey Meleagris 

 gallopavo silvestris. 



The Turkey as a wild form occurred in Canada only in southern Ontario 

 and has been extinct for a number of years. At present the Wild Turkey 

 remains only in the most out-of-the-way wooded localities of the wilder 

 southern states and even there it promises to vanish soon. There is 

 probably considerable native wild blood in the domesticated turkey flocks 

 along lake Erie and a number of specimens of so-called Wild Turkeys are 

 obviously at least half-bred with domestic blood. 



Order Columbae. Pigeons and Doves. 



This order, of world-wide distribution, is variously divided by different 

 authors. According to the system of classification of the American Or- 

 nithologists' Union all our American species are included in the one family, 

 Columbidce. They are the most typically pigeon-like in form and, therefore, 

 may be called the True Pigeons. 



FAMILY COLUMBID^E. TRUE PIGEONS AND DOVES. 



Pigeons and Doves can in a general way be said to resemble the outline 

 and actions of our familiar domestic stock. Characters more easily 

 recognized than described. Systematically they can be recognized by their 

 bills. These are hard and horny at the tip, which is very slightly enlarged 



