BIRDS OF NEW YORK 379 



powerful beak, and to standing grain, grapes etc., which are near its favorite haunts. It does much 

 good, on the other hand, by destroying large quantities of grasshoppers, June beetles, caterpillars, 

 and weed seeds, and needs little recommendation as a game bird in districts where the grouse and 

 Bobwhite have disappeared. 



Family MELEAGRIDAE 



Turkeys 



Turkeys have the head and upper neck naked, except a few stiff bris- 

 tles, and wrinkled and wattled, with an erectile process growing on the 

 forehead. The tarsi are naked, scutellate, and spurred in the male. Tail 

 broad, rounded, of 14 to 18 truncated feathers. 



Turkeys are an American family, the brilliant Ocellated turkey being 

 a native of Yucatan, and the more familiar Wild turkey in its various 

 forms, or subspecies, ranging through Mexico and the eastern United 

 States. The Mexican form was the original of the domestic race which was 

 established in Europe as early as 1530, and has become one of the most 

 important birds of the world from an economic standpoint. The scientific 

 name of the family is a misnomer, being the original name of the Guinea hen, 

 and if the popular impression of the origin of the common name is correct, 

 this is a misnomer also, but it is probable, as has been suggested, that the 

 common name has reference to the call note of the bird which resembles 

 the syllables turk, turk, turk. The Wild turkey is our noblest game bird, 

 but is difficult to hunt successfully in sportsmanlike manner, and has long 

 since disappeared from the more settled portions of the cotmtry. 



Meleagris gallopavo silvestris (Vieillot) 

 Wild Turkey 



Meleagris silvestris Vieillot. Nouv. Diet, d' Hist. Nat. 1817. 9:447 

 Meleagris gallopavo DeKav. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 199, fig. 172 



A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 310 



meled'gris, Gr. /j.tXmypi's , Lat. meleagris, the guinea fowl; gallopd'vo, Lat. 

 gallus, cock, and pavo, peafowl; silve'stris, of the woodland 



Distinctive marks. The common Wild turkey resembles the well 

 known "Bronzed turkey" of the domestic race, but the erectile process 

 on the forehead is less developed; tip of the tail deep rusty or chestnut, and 

 the tail coverts tipped with deep, rich chestnut. 



