TITE WILD TURKEY. 215 



improperly applied, it would now be worse than useless 

 to attempt to change. The only true species of the 

 genus known until within the last ten years was the 

 Common Turkey; but in the year 1820 M. Cuvier 

 added a second from the Bay of Honduras, the Ijril- 

 liancy of whose plumage excels that of the wild indivi- 

 duals of the common species, as much as the latter 

 surpass the tame inhabitants of our farm-yards. 



Those who have seen only the domesticated bird, can 

 form but a faint idea of its beauty in a state of nature. 

 When fully grown the male Wild Turkey measures 

 nearly four feet in length, and more than five in the 

 expanse of its wings. Its head, which is very small in 

 proportion to its body, is covered with a naked bluish 

 skin, which is continued over the upper half of its 

 neck. On this skin are placed a number of wart-like 

 elevations, red on the upper portion and whitish below, 

 interspersed with a few scattered blackish hairs. On 

 the under part of the neck the skin is flaccid and mem- 

 branous, and extends downwards in the shape of large 

 wattles. From the base of the bill at its junction with 

 the forehead rises a wrinkled conical fleshy protube- 

 rance, with a pencil of hairs at the tip. This protube- 

 rance, when the bird is at rest, does not exceed an inch 

 and a half in length, but on any excitement becomes 

 elongated to such an extent as to cover the bill entirely 

 and to depend below it for several inches. The lower 

 part of the neck, at its jimction with the breast, is 

 ornamented by a singular tuft of black rigid hairs, 

 separating themselves from the feathers, and reaching 

 as much as nine inches in length. The feathers of the 

 body are long and truncated, and generally speaking 

 may each be svd:)dividcd into four parts. Their base is 

 formed by a light fuliginous down, which is followed 

 by a dusky portion. This again is succeeded by a broad 



