MELHAGRID.K — TIIK TIKKKVS. 4()f, 



tlio fxtrcmu tip, wlicrc llicri! is n iiu'liillic jjloss. Tlic I't'iitiicis of thu lower \nu-k ami 

 riiinp arc hliiuii, with littlu or no coppur ),'loss, Tliu I'entliL'i.s ol' tlie »'uIva lioliiiul, nud 

 tlic covi'ils, upper and nndci, aiu ol' a very diiii\ pin|ili>li-eliestniit, witii pwrpli.-'li- 

 nielidlie relleetious near tiie end, and a snhterniiMal )iar of Idaek; the ti|i.s are of tiiu 

 opaipie pnrplisii-clicstnut referred to. The conconlod portion of tiie coverts is dark eiiustnut 

 liarrecj rather lini'ly witli lilaek ; the hlack wiiK'r tiian the,' interspaces. The tail-feathers 

 are dark lirownish-ehestnnt, with nnnierons transverse hars of hlaek, which, when most 

 distinct, an- ahont a ([narter of an inch wide and ahout double their intersi)a<'es ; the 

 uxtreme tip for ahont half an inch is plain chestnut, lighter than the ground-color ; and 

 there is a l)road snhterniinal har of hlack ahout two inches wide on thu outer feathers, 

 and narrowing to al)ont thrci' ipiartcrs of an inch to the cenlial ones. The innermost 

 pair scariM'ly shows this hand, anil the others are all much l)roken and confused. In 

 addition to the black bars on each feather, the chestnut interspaces are sprinkled with 

 black. The black liands are all most distinct on the inner weljs; the intcisiiaces are eon- 

 sideralily lighter below than above. 



There are no whitish tips whatever to the tail or its coverts. The leathers on the 

 middle of the belly are downy, oi)a(iue, and tipped obscurely with rusty whitish. 



The wing-coverts are like the back ; the (piills, liowever, are blackish-brown, with 

 nmnorous transverse bars of white, half the width of the intcrspac;es. The exposed sur- 

 faces of the wing, liowever, and most of the inner secondaries, are tinged with browuish- 

 rnsty, the uppermost ones with a dull copper or greenish glo.s.s. 



The female dillers in smaller size, less brilliant colors, absence generally of bristles on 

 the breast and of spur, and a nnich smaller lleshy process above the base of the bill. 



ifdle. Length, 48.00 to .iO.OO ; extent, fiO.OO ; wing, '21.00 ; tail, 18.50. Weight, IG to 

 35 lbs. Female. Weight about 12 lbs. ; measurements smaller in proportion. 



Had. Eiustern Province of the United States, and Canada, West along the limbered 

 river-valleys towards the llocky Mountains ; south to the Gulf coast. 



There is some question as to the names to be applied to the two races of 

 Northern Mdccujris, and especially as to wliich is entitled to bear the name 

 of (jaUopaco. The original description of M. ijaUoparo (quotes the New Eng- 

 land Turkey as described by Kay, but as far as the characters j,'iven i^o 

 refers rather to the domestic form, which is e([iiivalent to U. mcimna of 

 Gould. In tliis state of the case we therefore think it as well to use 

 gallopavo for the eastern race, although the arguments of ^lajor Leconte and 

 others in favor of applying it to the wild Mexican, and its derivative the 

 domestic viiriety, are not without much weight. 



Habits. The Wild Turkey i.s found throughout eastern North America, 

 from South Carolina northward, and from the Atlantic to Te.xas and Arkan- 

 sas. It has probably become an extinct species in New England, tliough 

 witliin a few years individuals have been sliot in Montague, Mass., and in 

 other towns in Franklin County. The construction of railroads, however, 

 and the settlement of the country, have probably led to their final extermina- 

 tion ; at least, I have known of none being taken within the limits of Massa- 

 chusetts for several years. 



In the unsettled portions of the Southern and Western States, and in the 

 country watered by the Mississippi and the Missoiui liivers and their atHu- 

 ents, these birds are comparatively plentiful, though the question of their 



