CLASS AVES: OEDEB GALLING. 141 



Meleagridse. — The Turkey is indigenous to America. 

 There is but one genus {Meleagris), with two species. One 

 of these is the M. ocelldta of Honduras, whose tail is enam- 

 elled with blue "eyes," each surrounded by a ring of yellow 

 and purple. The other species has two varieties, the M. gal- 

 lopavo and M. mexicana. The latter is the one from which 



Mg. 



Meleagris gaUopavo, Turkey. ^\. 



the Domestic Turkey sprung. The Wild Turkey nests in 

 some secluded spot, which it guards jealously, seldom 

 approaching it twice by the same path, and luring the 

 intruder away by various wiles. As soon as the young are 

 hatched, the female takes them under her entire care, leading 

 them long distances for food, and carefully avoiding marshes 

 until her brood have exchanged their down for feathers 

 impervious to water.* 



Tetraonidse. — The Grouse is distinguished by having the 



* Turkeys are often captured in the following manner : A pen of logs is raised 

 about four feet high. At one point an entrance is dug underneath and corn sprinkled 

 both without and within. The Turkeys greedily picking this up enter the pen. 

 Once entrapped, they vainly seek with elevated head to escape between ttfe logs, but 

 never think of stooping down to pass out where they entered. 



