REPORT UPON ORNITHOLOGICAL SPECIMENS. 



141 



154. Melopelia leucoptera, (L.) White- winged Dove. 



A single bird obtained on the Gila River, in New Mexico, and the 

 only one seen. I am, therefore, inclined, to consider it as a rare species, 

 though probably occurring in Eastern Arizona. 



155. Zenaidura carolinensis, (L.) Common Dove. 



Abundant throughout Eastern Arizona. Being rarely molested, they 

 seem to have no fear of man, and at Apache, where they were especially 

 numerous, were accustomed to remain about our camp all day. 



MELEAGRID^: (the Turkeys). 



15C. Meleagris gallopavo (L.) Mexican Turkey. 



The wild turkey is found abundantly from Apache throughout the 

 mountainous portion of Southeastern Arizona. In New Mexico it was 

 met with further to the north, in the mountains, and I was informed by 

 Colonel Alexander that he had found them in large numbers in the 

 Raton Mountains, in extreme Northern New Mexico. It breeds abun- 

 dantly through the White Mountains, Arizona, and about the middle of 

 August several broods of the young, about two thirds grown, were met 

 with. Toward the head of the Gila, in New Mexico, the canons, in 

 November, were found literally swarming with these magnificent birds ; 

 in many places the ground being completely tracked up where they had 

 been running. As many as eleven were killed by the members of a 

 party during a day's march. They roost at night in the large cotton- 

 woods by the streams, and soon after daylight, having visited the 

 stream, they usually betake themselves to the dry hills, where they 

 feed, in the fall, at least, almost exclusively upon the seeds of grasses 

 and grasshoppers. I think they return once or twice during the day to 

 drink, the dry nature of their food rendering a copious supply of water 

 necessary. In these wilds, they appear to be wholly unsuspicious, and 

 without knowledge of danger from man, and, if not shot at, will allow 

 one to get within a few yards without manifesting any distrust. They 

 rarely fly, except when very hard pressed, but, when alarmed, run with 

 such rapidity as to quickly outstrip the fleetest foot, betaking them- 

 selves to the steep sides of the ravines, which they easily scale, and 

 soon elude pursuit. Apparently, the only dangers they have to fear in 

 these regions are from birds of prey, which attack the young, but more 

 especially from the panthers. In certain portions of the Gila Canon, 

 the tracks of these animals were very numerous, and always these 

 sections appeared to have been entirely depopulated of Turkeys, an 

 occasional pile of feathers marking the spot where one had fallen a 



