ORDER (jALLIJN &1 '. GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 



Family MELEAGRIDIDJE : Turkeys. 



These are the nearest American analognes of the true Pheasants, fam- 

 ily Phasianidce, indigenous to Asia, and are sometimes placed in that 

 family. But the differences appear sufficient to warrant their family 

 separation. Their next nearest allies are the Guinea Eowls, of Africa — 

 family Numididw. 



MELEAGRIS GALLOP AVO var. AMERICANA, (Bartr.) Coues. 

 Common Wild Turkey, 



a. oallapavo. ■ 



Meleagris gallopavo, Linn., Fn. Suec. No. 198 ; Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 268 (based on the 

 domestic Wrd, which is most like this variety. See Newt., Zool. Eec. v, 102. 

 Not of authors generally, the name usually referring to the foregoing feral 

 variety). — Stepii., Shaw's Gen. Zool. ix, iit.i, j). 156, pi. 8 (domestic).— Woodh., 

 Sitgr. Eep. 1854, S4, in part ; the paragraph on p. 93 refers to the following 

 variety. 



Meleagris mcxicana, Gould, P. Z. S. 1S."'.6, 61.— Be, B. N. A. 1858, 618 ; U. S. Agric. Rep. 

 1866, 288.— Coues, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 93.— Elliot, B. N. A. pt. x, pi. 38.— Dakw., 

 Anira. and PI. Domest. i, 992.— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 523. 



Meleagris gallopavo var. mexicana, B. B. & B., N. A. B. iil, 1874, 410. 



b. americana. 



Meleagris americaKO, B.VKTR., Trav. 1791, 290. 



Meleagris gallopavo var. americana, CoUES, Key, 1872, 232. 



Meleagris gallopavo, WiLS., Index, 1872, vi, p. — . — Bp., Am. Orn. 1825, i, 79, pi. 9 ; Syn. 

 18-28, 122; Comp. List, 1838, 42.— AuD., Orn. Biog. 1831, i, 1, pl.s. 1 and 6; 

 V, 559; Svn. 1839, 197; B. Am. 1842, v, 42, pis. 287, 288.— Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 

 630.— Reich., Syst. Av. 1851, pi. 26 ; Ic. Av. pi. 289.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 015.— 

 Maxim., J. f. 6. vi, 1858, 426.— McIlwh., Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1866, 91.— Catox, 

 Am. Nat. iii, pp. 28, 30 ; vii, 431.— Allex, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 342 (origin of 

 domestic Turkey, &c.) ; iii, 1872, 181 (Kansas). — Sxow, B. Kans. 1873, No. 

 193.— Allen, Mem. Bo.st. Soc. i, 1868, 500 (Iowa).— Teippe, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv, 

 1872, 240 (Iowa).— Hatch, Pr. Minn. Acad, i, 1874, 61 (Southwest Minnesota).— 

 B. B. & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 404 ; and of most authors. 



Meleagris sylvestris, YiEii^L., Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. ix, 447. 



Gallopavo sglresiris, Le Coxte, Pr. A. N. S. ix, 18.57, 179. 



Meleagris fera,\iE.nA.., Gal. Ois. ii, 1824, 10, pi. 10. — Geay, Cat. Gall. Br. Mus. 



Wild Turlcey of authors and others. 



Sab. — Of var. americana, the Eastern Province of the United States and portions of 

 Canada. Of true gallapavo, the southern portions of the Middle Province and south- 

 ward. 



Dr. Hayden does not include the Wild Turkey in his report, appar- 

 ently not having met with it in the Missouri region. Its occurrence, 

 however, is sufficiently attested as far up the Missouri River as the 

 vicinity of Yankton, if not somewhat beyond. I found no evidence of 

 its presence in Northern Dakota ; I have observed but one Minnesotiau 

 record. In these longitudes it becomes abundant further south ; both 

 the Kansas authorities above cited witness its common occurrence in 

 the timbered districts of that State, as Mr. Trippe does in Southern 

 Iowa. Dr. Woodhouse states, that " throughout the wooded portions of 



