WILD TURKEYS 279 



Maine, southern Ontario and South Dakota. It is the southern Mexico 

 form, with white-tipped upper tail-coverts, which is the ancestor of 

 our domesticated Turkey. It was introduced from Mexico into Europe 

 where it had become established as early as 1530, and was later brought 

 by colonists to Eastern North America. It breeds freely with our Wild 

 Turkey (silvestris) and where the birds of the woods come in contact 

 with the inhabitants of the poultry yard, evidences of such alliances 

 are not infrequent. 



310a. Meleagris gallppavo silvestris VieilL WILD TURKEY. The Wild 

 Turkey may be distinguished from the common domestic race chiefly 

 by the chestnut instead of white tips to the upper tail-coverts and tail, "d" 

 ad. L., about 48'00-50'00; W., 21'00; T., 18'50; weight 16-40 Ibs." (Ridgw.) 



Range. E. U. S. from Neb., Kans., w. Okla., and e. Tex. e. to cen. Pa., 

 and s. to the Gulf coast; formerly n. to S. D., s. Ont. and s. Maine. 



Washington, rare P. R. 



Nest, on the ground, at the base of a bush or tree. Eggs, 10-14, pale 

 cream-buff, finely and evenly speckled with grayish brown, 2*45 x 1*95. 

 Date, Pipemaker Swamp, Ga., Apl. 25; Ft. Smith, Ark., Apl. 3. 



This noblest of American birds is rapidly decreasing in numbers, and 

 in comparatively few years will doubtless be found only in the parts of 

 its range which are unfit for the habitation of man. 



Except during the breeding season, Wild Turkeys are found in 

 small flocks of six to twelve or fifteen individuals of both sexes. They 

 roost preferably in the trees in wooded bottom-lands, returning each 

 night to the same locality. 



At the opening of the breeding season in March the male begins to 

 gobble. As a rule, he calls only early in the morning, before leaving 

 his roost. Later he sails to the ground and at once begins his search 

 for breakfast, or, attracted by the plaintive piping of some female, he 

 struts and displays his charms before her. It is at this time that bat- 

 tles between the males dccur. They are polygamists, and the victor 

 becomes sultan of the harem. During the period of incubation, and 

 while the young require their mother's care, the females do not associate 

 with the males, who then flock together. 



The calls of both sexes so closely resemble those of the domestic 

 birds that it requires a practiced ear to distinguish them. In locali- 

 ties where both birds might be expected to occur, I could never be 

 sure whether I was listening to the challenge of some defiant gobbler 

 perched in a cypress in the valley below, or to the vainglorious effort 

 of the lord of the poultry yard. 



1909. GRINNELL, G. B., Forest and Stream, 852, 891, 892 (biography). 



31 Ob. M. g. osceola Scott. FLORIDA TURKEY. Resembles M. g. 

 silvestris, but is smaller, and the primaries, instead of being regularly and 

 widely barred with white, as in that bird, have much smaller, broken white 

 markings. Weight, <? 12-22 Ibs.; 9 475-9 Ibs. (Scott, Auk, IX, 1892, 115.) 



Range. Southern Florida. 



Nesting date, St. John's River, Fla., Apl. 23. 





The Florida Wild Turkey is locally common in Southern Florida, 



